Emerald was one of the
most precious gemstones in antiquity. The oldest known emerald mine is in Egypt's Eastern
Desert, in the mountain valley of Wadi Sikait, where mining likely started at the end of the
Ptolemaic period in the first century BC.
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4 min
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General
Gem-related Field
HISTORY
When Did It Start?
The majority of mining operations,
however, dates from the Roman and Byzantine eras, which lasted from the late first century
BC to the sixth century AD. The Romans called emerald "smaragdus" and named the Sikait area
Mons Smaragdus, which translates as you can now guess, Emerald Mountain.
Details of this emerald pair (SOLD) Shape &
Cut: Octagon Stone type: Emerald
Weight (cts): 2.79 / 2.78 Dimensions (mm):
8.81x8.37x5.75 / 8.75x8.33x5.75mm Color: Green
Treatment: Insignificant Oil Origin:
Colombia Certified: GRS Single/pair:
Pair
THE QUESTION
The Only Source of Mining?
But, at the time, was the emerald the only
source of mining? The Egyptian mines continued to be exploited until at least the Middle
Ages when Arab writers document the appearance of larger, heavier, stones from the Indian
subcontinent.
The green beryls from Egypt
are distinguishable by their oxygen-isotopic composition. What nation is said to have had an
emerald mine that was used by ancient European civilizations as well?
a.
Austria b. Sicilia c. Hungary d. Romania
Answer
A. They are called the Habachtal mines in Austria.
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Benjamin Poudevigne
Social Media Manager at
BespokeGems
With over ten years of marketing
experience, I finally decided to settle down in Bangkok to work in an area that I have
always been interested in: the gemstones industry. I'm still learning how the market works
on a daily basis, and I enjoy sharing my experience with those who are interested in
learning more about gems in general.