Turquoise in History and Myth

When you hear the word turquoise, do you immediately think of beautiful Native American jewelry?

Indigenous people in the United States and Mexico have used turquoise in tribal items since about 200 BC. The combination of turquoise and silver in the typical Southwest style jewelry is a fairly recent development, probably dating back to just the 1880's.

Worldwide, people have coveted this gorgeous gemstone for thousands of years. Historians say turquoise was one of the first minerals to be mined by humans. As early as 3000 BC, Egyptians found it in the Sinai Peninsula and used it for jewelry and religious objects. King Tutankhamen's tomb revealed a wealth of turquoise adornment, and it was used in his burial mask.

In China, Tibet, Mongolia, and the area now known as Iran, inhabitants prized turquoise for mystical powers. The Navajos, Pueblos, Apaches, Aztecs and many other Native American people regarded it as a very special gemstone.

This stone can change colors over time due to chemical influences such as the acidity of the wearer's skin oils, and a persistent mythology developed around this trait. People believe turquoise reflects the physical health or sometimes, the financial health of the wearer, getting paler with illness. To the ancients, it was important to keep the gem on the body as an indicator of impending doom or reversal of fortune. They believed that if it then passed on to a healthy new owner, the color would be restored.

Turquoise inspired many other mythological properties over the centuries. One legend held that a wearer of turquoise could fall from any height and be safe. The stone would attract the force of the fall and crack, leaving the wearer unharmed. Many cultures were convinced that turquoise could protect the wearer against the "evil eye." Those who believe in the metaphysical powers of gemstones think turquoise can cure depression.

Aztec archers sought turquoise to keep their aim true and hit the mark. Horsemen valued it for protection for themselves and their animals, and some cultures used it as ornamentation on bridles. In astrology, it is the birthstone of Sagittarians, born in December. Sagittarius is the sign of the archer and is represented by a half man, half horse figure.

Because turquoise is only formed in desert regions of the world, its use remained with the people of these arid areas for centuries. Europeans weren't exposed to this gem until the time of the Crusades. Although it isn't mined in Turkey, the Turkish used it extensively in trade and from them it found its way to Europe. The French named the stone turquoise after their word for Turkey.