turquois,
in distinction from the Oriental turquois, most of which came
originally from Persia. Odontolite does not retain its color by
artificial light, as does true turquois, and may be further
distinguished by giving off an offensive odor when heated, owing to
decomposition of animal matter. Further, it is lighter than true
turquois, and does not give a blue color, with ammonia, when dissolved
in hydrochloric acid, as does true turquois.
The
finest turquoises have long come from Persia, from a locality not far
from Nishapur, in the province of Khorassan. Here the mineral occurs
in narrow seams, in the brecciated portions of a porphyritic trachyte
and the surrounding clay slate. There are several hundred mines in the
region, and the entire population of the town of Maaden derives its
livelihood from mining and cutting the stones. It is said that $40,000
worth of stones are taken from these mines annually. A pound of stones
of the first quality sells at the mines for about $400, and is worth
more than double that price in Europe. The mines must be very ancient.
A description of them written in A. D. 1300 is known; and according to
a tradition current in the region one of the mines, known as Isaac's
mine, was opened by Isaac the son of Abraham. There are other turquois
mines in Persia, but their product is comparatively small. Other
Oriental localities from which gem turquoises are obtained are Sinai,
in Arabia; the Kirgeshi Steppes, in Siberia; and the Kara-Tube
Mountains, in Turkestan. Egypt also furnishes large quantities of
turquois, which does not, as a rule, retain its color well.
Turquois
is not an uncommon mineral in the United States, and many gems of fine
quality have been obtained from mines within our borders. The oldest
and best known mines are those at Los Cerrillos, New Mexico. This
locality was long worked by Indians and Spaniards, as shown by the
great extent of the excavations. There are pits to be seen here two
hundred feet in depth, and piles showing that thousands of tons of rock
have been broken out. Fragments of Aztec pottery, vases, cooking
utensils, stone hammers, etc., are found at the mines, and trees of
considerable size have grown over the once worked portions. Hence, the
beginning of the mine workings must date back at least prior to the
discovery of America. The mines were worked more or less by Spaniards
in the early part of the seventeenth century with the consent of the
Indians, or at least without hindrance from them. In 1680, however, a
large landslide occurred on the mountain at the mine, and many of the
Indian miners were overwhelmed. Believing the Spaniards to be in some
way responsible for the accident, and
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