Semi-precious
The term “semi precious” is applied to a subset gemstones, and the term was created to set them apart from what are considered precious stones (diamonds, sapphires, rubies, and emeralds). Things like amber and lapis lazuli, which are not really stones at all are still considered “semi precious” by most people. This distinction reflects the rarity of the respective stones in ancient times, as well as their quality. all are translucent with fine color in their purest forms and very hard. This distinction is not related to their monetary value, i.e. some forms of garnet are more expensive than emeralds.
Objects: Semi-precious Export: JSON - XML - CSV
Object | U Number | Museum Number (UPM Date Reg Number) | Museum Number (BM Registration Number) | Museum Number (UPM B-number) | Description (Catalog Card) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | 7924 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Bead Crystal Cylindrical with truncated conical top. [drawing 1:1] |
![]() | 7922 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Weight Lentoid. hematite. Type II. |
![]() | 7918 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Bead. Agate. Lentoid. |
![]() | 7910 | (none) | 1928,1009.138 | (none) | Frog amulet. Lapis lazuli. [drawing 1:1][CARD MISLABELED U.7940B][Arabic notes on back of card] [CARD MISSING Typed Transcription from British Museum Card] |
![]() | 7896 | (none) | (none) | B16883 | Cylinder seal. hematite. Black. Hero wearing conical cap and short garment which only falls to the knees, and carrying a bird? in his left hand approaches a standing deity wearing high headdress and flounced kaunakes skirt. Behind the hero, naked Ishtar. |
![]() | 7893 | (none) | (none) | (none) | String of beads. Lapis lazuli. Blue. 52 in number. Small ring beads, a few double conoid and 1 large ball bead. |
775 | (none) | (none) | B15248 | Carnelian cylinder seal. Archer in chariot driving rt. shoots at kneeling archer l. Late style with a good deal of drill point work, but not bad. ? 8th century. | |
![]() | 7693 | (none) | (none) | (none) | String of beads. Gold, carnelian and lapis. |
![]() | 7666 | (none) | (none) | (none) | 3 complete carnelian beads. 2 fragments. One small lentoid, the rest large bugle beads slightly convex in the middle. One of the 3 complete beads broken and mended. Neo-Babylonian. |
![]() | 7664 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Cylinder seal. Lapis lazuli. Blue. 2 registers. Top register: scene of worship. Goddess wearing high horned headdress leads votary by the hand towards seated god who wears flat headdress with horns. Botom: 3 swans swimming on water. |
![]() | 7663 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Flat seal. Sard, pale blue. Winged insect? |
![]() | 7657 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Cylinder seal. Lapis lazuli. Blue. 2 registers. Bangquet scene. Above: seated god holding food? in upright left hand. nest a second seated figure holding up left hand to greet a standing attendant. Third seated figure also holding food in upraised left hand, and standing figure also holding food? opposite. All are shaven and shorn and wear sheep skin dresses. Below: A seated figure holding up hand towards door of shrine? Behind him a second seated figure holding up food which has been handed him by standing attendant. Behind this seated god a standing attendant facing the door of the shrine hands upraised. All have heads shaven and shorn and sheep skin dresses like figures on top register. c. 3000BC. |
![]() | 7644 | (none) | 1928,1009.98 | (none) | Necklace. 12 double conoid carnelian beads. 5 double conoid silver beads. 1 dark green lentoid, basic diorite? All charred by fire. |
7643 | (none) | (none) | B16814 | Necklace. Blue paste beads. Arbitrarily restrung. Bugle and ring beads and 1 axe head spacer. Some of the beads have incised lines running round circumference. | |
![]() | 7642 | (none) | 1928,1009.94 | (none) | Necklace. 64 beads. Arbitrarily re-strung. Carnelian, amethyst and lapis lazuli. Carnelian, double conoid, bugle beads and ring beads: Amethyst: double conoid. Lapis: ring beads. |
7641 | (none) | (none) | B16861 | Cylinder seal. Green stone. Slightly concave. Broken in antiquity but remended and complete. Gilgamesh and Enkidu back to back the former fighting a rampant bull the latter fighting a rampant lion. | |
![]() | 7621 | (none) | (none) | (none) | 7 beads. 6 agate lentoid, 1 carnelian bugle bead. Kassite. |
7620 | (none) | (none) | B16813 | 41 lapis lazuli beads. 5 bugle beads, 2 barrel beads, 1 double conoid, rest ball beads. | |
![]() | 7619 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Necklace. 113 beads. Mostly yellowish frit. 2 double conoid lapis lazuli, 1 double conoid carnelian and 1 carnelian ball bead. |
![]() | 7611 | (none) | 1928,1009.456 | (none) | Weight haematite. Dark green. Conoid. Type IV. |
![]() | 7605 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Weight Conoid. hematite. Dark green. Type IV. |
![]() | 7604 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Weight hematite. Dark green. Lentoid. Type II. |
![]() | 7588 | (none) | (none) | (none) | 14 beads. Yellow paste ring beads and one lapis ball bead. |
![]() | 7581 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Cylinder seal. Rock crystal. White. 9 fish. c.-3000BC? |
![]() | 7572 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Necklace. Carnelian, blue crystal, yellow and one lapis lazuli bead. 34 in all. Lentoids, ring beads, bugle beads and double conoids. Restrung in original order. Found with Phonecian black and blue glass bottle U7660 and with clay pot Type XXIX |
Related Terms
Apatite - Aragonite - Calcite Group - Chlorite - Dolomite - Feldspar - Gypsum - Magnesite - Pigment - Serpentine
Child Terms
Amber - Chalcedony - Chrysoberyl - Hematite - Iron Pyrite - Jadeite - Lapis Lazuli - Malachite - Quartz - Turquoise
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Parent Terms
Inorganic Remains > Stones and Minerals > Mineral > Semi-precious