History · Turquoise · Sep 14, 2015

Turquoise: Taking the blues away throughout the ages

Turquoise tidbits

The story behind how turquoise got its name is an interesting one!

During the 17^th century, traders passed through Turkey (called “Turquie” in French) where the gemstone was called “Turquies”. The gemstone’s name therefore originated from ancient travels from Persia (Iran) to Europe via the Middle East! Just as interesting, is the fact that the oldest stone known to man is the only one that has a color named after it; ‘turquoise’ being a shade of blue.

When looking for turquoise for whichever purpose, it is worth the effort to buy only from reputable dealers who are happy to disclose all information about the stone. This is because it is a porous stone that can easily be dyed or mixed with Chrysocolla or green Malachite. Mixed stones can be recognized by blue and green spots, while a pure turquoise gemstone will have a deep and solid turquoise tone. Untainted turquoise is also quite soft and easily scratched.

Turquoise uses since pre-historical times

Turquoise has been held in high regard in different world civilizations since ancient times, such as the times of the Native Americans and the Persian empire. During those times, it was commonly used in ornamental ways; mostly for the symbolic meaning attached to it by those civilizations. In earlier times it was used in some ancient religions, wars, as a universal stone by Native American Indians and in jewelry. More recent times have put the emphasis of turquoise use on jewelry, while modern day metaphysicists believe that the gemstone contains several natural powers.

Ancient religions

Many ancient domed buildings in the Middle East have turquoise tops due to its religious significance for the people, and almost all rites and religious ceremonies involved the use of the stone in one way or another in early times. To these people, turquoise symbolized immortality, nobility and wisdom.

In ancient Egypt, China and Persia, among the South American Aztecs and Incas, turquoise was a holy stone which symbolized luck, power and protection. It was therefore used in all sorts of decorations for religious purposes, including jewelry.

Ancient wars

Ancient Egyptians used turquoise in body armor, knives, swords and turbans for its believed powers of protection. The Egyptians trusted that using the stone in these ways, would make them less vulnerable and prevent an unnatural or untimely death.

Pogue (1915), citing John G. Bourke’s study of Apache medicine men, recorded that among the Apache a small turquoise bead fixed to a gun or a bow was said to make the weapon shoot accurately.

Jewelry

Many cultures around the world now produce turquoise jewelry but those made by the Southwest Native Americans are still considered to be the most desired ones. The different tribes specialize in their own styles, but all are sought after.

The Najavo tribe originally made beads out of turquoise, which they then used to make necklaces and other jewelry. After they had learnt to work with silver from the Spanish, they started incorporating this metal into their jewelry as well. Silver is however just used to enhance the natural beauty of the stones, which are often fairly large.

The Zuni tribe is known for carving the stones into various small shapes and then clustering them together to form a mosaic in their jewelry. They also incorporate silver in their jewelry.

Where the name came from: the older record

1915 primary source. Anything described as current here describes 1915, not today.

Pogue (1915) quotes Arnoldus Saxo's Latin 'De virtutibus lapidum' (Properties of stones), written near the beginning of the thirteenth century, on the stone's name:

“It is so called from the regions of Turkey, whence it originates”
— Pogue (1915), p. 13

Pogue (1915) commented on the thirteenth-century Latin text of Arnoldus Saxo, the earliest use of the word he could find:

“This passage serves to explain the origin of the word turcois, the French form of which is turquoise, and forms the earliest instance known to the writer of its use.”
— Pogue (1915), p. 13

Boetius de Boot's gem treatise of 1608, in the translation Pogue (1915) gives, offered the same explanation:

“It is known among all nations by this name, because it is brought from Turkey hither.”
— Pogue (1915), p. 17

Writing in 1915, Pogue explained the Persian name for the stone:

“Turquois the Persian word for which is ferozah or firozah, meaning “victorious,” is the national stone of Persia, and is to be seen in all quarters.”
— Pogue (1915), p. 73

On medieval Europe, Pogue (1915) wrote that turquoise

“was very generally used for the adornment of every kind of sacred vessel, such as the chalice, ciborium, altar-cross, mitre, and pastoral staff”
— Pogue (1915), p. 85

Pogue (1915) quoted the twelfth-century Arabic botanist Ibn-el-Beithar:

“The turquois shines when the air is pure, and becomes pale when it is dim.”
— Pogue (1915), p. 111

Toward the close of the fourteenth century, as Pogue (1915) quoted him, Sir John Mandeville wrote of turquoise:

“It aids the vision and is a protection against accidents; it gives boldness and graciousness to the wearer, and the horse of one who carries it can not be chilled from drinking cold water.”
— Pogue (1915), p. 118

Of Persia's belief in the evil eye, where blue was the favored protection, Pogue (1915) reported:

“Turquois consequently is very naturally deemed efficacious for this purpose. Even camels, horses, and mules sometimes have beads attached to their tails, and a highly valued animal may wear a blue necklace.”
— Pogue (1915), p. 112

Of Tibet, Pogue wrote in 1915:

“The turquois is so extensively used in Tibet and neighboring provinces and has so long figured in the culture of the inhabitants of that region that it has entered very fundamentally into the traditions and ideas of the people.”
— Pogue (1915), p. 113

Of China, Pogue (1915) noted:

“They look upon it as a transformation from the fir tree, as indicated in their name for turquois, meaning “green fir-tree stone.””
— Pogue (1915), p. 115

Field Notes by Mateo James

I notice our article dates the name to the 17th century, when traders passed through Turkey. Pogue found the word turcois already in a Latin text written near the beginning of the thirteenth century, about four hundred years earlier. Both agree the name points to Turkey; they disagree on when it reached Europe.

Sources

Pogue, Joseph E. The Turquois: A Study of Its History, Mineralogy, Geology, Ethnology, Archaeology, Mythology, Folklore, and Technology. Memoirs of the National Academy of Sciences, Vol. XII, Part II, Third Memoir. Washington, 1915. Public domain. Cited by printed page. Statements describe conditions as of 1915.