For thousands of years, jade occupied an exceptional place in Chinese culture. From mysterious Liangzhu bi discs and cong placed in elite burials to later associations with virtue and immortality, discover the documented history behind one of the world's most spiritually significant gemstone traditions.
Why did the ancient Greeks associate amethyst with sobriety and wine? Explore the documented history of amethyst in Greece and Rome, its use in engraved gems, its connection with intoxication, and the surprising truth behind the famous Dionysus and Amethyst legend.
Lapis lazuli was far more than a beautiful blue material in Ancient Egypt. Archaeological objects reveal its use in jewellery, divine amulets and funerary contexts. Explore what evidence actually tells us about its symbolism, religious significance and extraordinary journey to Egypt.
For more than six millennia, lapis lazuli travelled extraordinary distances from the mountains of Afghanistan to ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt and later Europe. Discover its geology, ancient trade, cultural prestige and transformation into precious ultramarine pigment.
The history of sapphire is more complicated than its name suggests. Ancient sappheiros often described lapis lazuli, while surviving Roman and medieval jewellery confirms the later use of true corundum sapphire. Follow the evidence through ancient texts, trade, medieval lapidaries, religious symbolism and surviving museum objects.
