Jade

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    The first jade found in china was a piece of serpentine stoneware. Jade is mostly used for personal decoration. Jade was often given as gifts. Spring and fall were seasons that jade was mostly carved. Long ago, people thought jade would keep you alive forever if you owned any of it. Mountains and rivers are places where jade is found. Jade is made of nephrite and jadeite. Jade is mostly made into rings, bracelets, seals, and many more things.

            Since 2950 B.C, Chinese people have named jade the royal stone. It has been treasured by the people of China for centuries. It was also known as the stone of heaven in China. It was believed to preserve the body after dying and could be seen in many nobles’ tombs. An emperor once made an entire suit of armor made completely of jade to give his body immortality.  Jade was also known as a symbol of love and virtue as well.

The Mayans, Olmecs, and Toltecs also worshipped jade. The tax for the Aztecs was jade.

            Europe did not know that jade could be used as jewelry and instead carved axes and swords out of jade. They got their jade from Canton, China. Jade was believed to cure kidney defections. The Portuguese called jade piedre de ilharga or “stone of loin”.  The people of Spain called it piedra de hijada. The French called ejade, and finally came to be jade.

            Jade is a lot stronger than steel.

            Chinese jade was nephrite jade, or amphilbolite. Nephrite comes from the Greek world nephros, which means kidney. In the 19th century, it was discovered that the American jade was different than that of China. Central America’s mineral was in fact a pyroxene.  The pyroxene was called jadeite.

            Nowadays, jadeite is more popular than nephrite because of its vivid green color.  It’s produced in Burma (or Myanmar).

            The most common of jade carvings is a flat doughnut-like shape mostly used as a necklace.

            The Emerald Buddha, a famous statue in Wat Phreo Kaeo, in Bangkok, Thailand, is made out of jade.

            Jade is not sold in carats, but instead it is sold by piece. A particular favorite pattern is moss on snow.

            Jade is called “The Stone of Heaven” by the Chinese people.  Jade is found in many places, the places are Burma, California, Guatemala, Russia, Japan, Hawaii, Switzerland, and last of all China. The most valuable type of jade is the ones with the colors of brilliant green and the deep lavenders. If you want a better quality, the best ones are the ones more light shines through the stone. Jade is very hard, so the people of China used the as tools.

            2950 BC has been the date that the jade stone has been treasured in China. Jade was said that it could preserve the dead bodies and was kept with the emperors from long ago. In Central America the Indians used jade to carve masks.