252 THE CURIOUS LORE OF PRECIOUS STONES
The
greater number of ancient Mexican jadeite beads appear to have been
rounded pebbles of this material, assorted as to size and drilled for
use in making necklaces. Other green stones used at this time in
Mexico were green jasper, green plasma, serpentine and also the ' '
Tecalco onyx " or " marble ' ' above mentioned. In many cases these
substances are of such rich green that they might easily be mistaken
for jadeite by those who lacked the tests or the experience at the
command of modern mineralogists. Should jadeite ever be found in situ in
Mexico, it seems probable that the discovery will be made in the State
of Oaxaca, whence came the finest ancient specimens, including the
splendid votive adze. Moreover, one of the few materials by which
jadeite can be worked is furnished by the streams of this region,
whence have been taken several rolled pebbles which the writer has
identified as yellow and blue corundum, the quality being equal to that
of specimens from Ceylon.43
Gesner describes one of the lip ornaments worn by the aborigines of South America in the following words :44
A
green stone or gem which the inhabitants of the "West Indies use. They
pierce their lips and insert this stone so that the thicker part
adheres to the hole and the rest protrudes. We might call these
ornaments oripenduli [mouth-pendants]. This stone was given me
by a learned Piedmontese, Johannes Ferrerius, and he wrote of it as
follows : " I send a cylindrical green stone, as long as a man's middle
finger, and having at one extremity two ridges. It is stated that the
Brazilians of high rank wore these, from their youth, in their pierced
lips; one or more being worn according to the dignity of the wearer.
While eating, or whenever they so wish for any other reason, these
ornaments are removed from the lips."
43 Kunz, " Chalchiuitl : a note on the jadeite discussion," Science, vol. xii, No. 298.
" Gesneri, " De figuris lapidum," Tiguri, 1565, fol. 107 verso, 108 recto.
