Emeralds Discovered First in Ancient Egypt

  Emeralds discovered in Egypt traveled around the world throughout millennia, captivating the imagination of people on every continent. The earliest written histories of the Egyptians, dating back over 5,000 years, indicate that slaves unearthed the bright green stones from the rocks. (source)  

Emeralds Discovered First in Egypt

The earliest emerald mines date back to 330 BC, in Ancient Egypt. (source) At that time, the pharaohs ruled the mines, distributing the pale green stones only as they saw fit. As trade between countries increased, emeralds found their way to Ancient Rome. The Romans drilled holes through raw crystals and wore them as talismans. (source) During the time of Cleopatra’s reign in Egypt, emeralds ranked as one of the most highly prized gemstones in the world. High demand for the stones inspired Cleopatra to develop mining as a major industry. For centuries the Egyptian mines, primarily those in Upper Egypt which Cleopatra named Kossier, proved the only source for Europe and Asia. Eventually, the Romans took control of the Egyptian mines and launched massive mining operations. Eventually, the Romans depleted the mines almost completely.    

Emeralds Rediscovered

While those emeralds originally sourced from Egypt circulated freely throughout Europe and Asia, new sources remained scarce. Then in the 1400s, the Spanish Conquistadors commandeered the lands and riches of Central and South America. In addition to gold and other mineralogical resources, the Spanish seized the emerald mines previously mined by the Aztecs and Incas. Here they discovered the second most important emerald mine in gemological history, in Chivor, Colombia. By the time Europeans discovered the Americas, these verdant green emeralds were widely dispersed along the trade routes connecting the Aztecs, Mayans, and Incas. Their use as currency and in religious rituals is well documented in the archaeological record. Indeed, the specimens from Colombia prove even more beautiful and verdant green than their Egyptian cousins. For this reason, Colombian emeralds remain the ultimate standard for emeralds. ~Angela Magnotti Andrews