The History of Emerald in Ancient Civilizations

Ancient cultures throughout the world appreciated emerald stone for its beautiful green hue which they valued since ancient times. The precious gemstone existed through thousands of years among various cultures as it maintained profound significance for both religious and political matters and spiritual guidance. The Egyptians together with the Incas viewed emeralds as both signs of wealth and powerful stones that worked toward healing people and guarding their spaces.

Evidence shows that ancient Egyptians recorded their first use of emerald stones as early records. The Egyptian queen Cleopatra made emerald stones her favorite possessions during ancient times. The queen declared that she managed all the emerald mines operating within the Egyptian terrain throughout her time in power. The Eastern Desert contained these mines that were considered "Cleopatra’s Mines" because they served as some of the earliest emerald stone sources. Egyptian culture accepted emeralds as symbols of new life and fertility which they placed within tombs to grant eternal youth to the deceased.

The people of ancient India considered emerald stones to have sacred status. People associated emeralds with two benefits: luck and an enhancement of their well-being. Ancient Indian scriptures document emerald stone's medical properties by saying such stone treated illnesses while enhancing vision. Even today, many people in India look to buy genuine emerald for their astrological significance, believing they bring prosperity and positive energy when worn correctly.

French Emperor Nero wore emerald gems as a crucial sign of power besides other Roman nobles. In his encyclopedic work Natural History Pliny the Elder who served as a Roman author and naturalist devoted numerous pages to writing about emeralds. The color of emeralds appealed to him and according to his beliefs these gems had powers to soothe the human eyes. Roman jewelers crafted rings and necklaces and decorative objects with emeralds as they were preferred by the upper social class.

Before the arrival of Spanish conquistadors in Colombia the Muzo people acknowledged emeralds as sacred objects. The Muzo tribe conducted gem mining activities long before Spanish contact to work with the minerals in sacred ceremonies. South American emeralds in Colombia astounded the Spanish during their arrival to this region in the 16th century because emeralds were plentiful and massive. Emeralds acquired such extreme value by the Spanish that they deployed their use as a trading commodity to exchange with European and Asian nations for gold and silver resources.

People worldwide continue to feel magnetized by emeralds in the modern world. Their historical depth and diversity explains why people still desire Colombian emerald. It is vital to purchase genuine emeralds from established dealers who both guarantee authentic certification and present high product quality. Their limited availability combined with their historical importance brings changes to emerald stone price that depend on their origin and crystal quality and weight measurements.

The human world has revered emeralds for ages because of their historical significance and their splendid aesthetics as well as their meaningful symbolism.