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

U Number	Museum Number (UPM Date Reg Number)	Museum Number (BM Registration Number)	Museum Number (UPM B-number)	Description (Catalog Card)
19235	35-1-68	(none)	(none)	Beads. Four shell tubes (one borken); four carnelian and four crystal rings.
18914	35-1-6	(none)	(none)	Cylinder seal. Lapis lazuli. Two registers: above, two heroes each fighting with two beasts below, seated and standing figures.
19213B	35-1-482	(none)	(none)	Group: (A) Gold double conoids, lapis double conoids. (B) Copper pin, Type 1, with lapis ball head capped with gold; broken. (C) [Not assigned] (D) Limestone bowl. Type 47. (E) White calcite bowl. Type 54: imperfect.
16268Q	35-1-406	(none)	(none)	[G-N] Stone pounders. Pebbles, mostly natural shape, of hard stone, of different sorts, several of them bearing marks when they have been used for hammering gold, or where gold has been hammered on them. Most have been split by the heat when the temple was burnt. Amongst them are [O-Q] 3 worked tools, pounders. [drawing]
20041A	35-1-25	(none)	(none)	Beads. [A] A large collection, mostly carnelian but also other stones[?], of various forms together with a [B] steatite pendant thus [drawing] and a [C] paste scarab inscribed thus [drawing] [D] and a copper fibula (broken) thus [drawing] . Said to have been found with nos 20042-7.
18919	35-1-22, 35-1-22	(none)	(none)	Cylinder seal. Green steatite (?) with copper caps. Two standing gods shaking hands: two men killing a kneeling prisoner: two columns of inscription supported by an animal. Good work.
18981	35-1-21	(none)	(none)	Cylinder seal. Green stone. 2 heroes fighting lions.
18922	35-1-16	(none)	(none)	Cylinder seal. Black steatite. A god driving a chariot drawn by a winged gryphon(?); between the wings rises a goddess armed with a bow, in front of it is another god. One column of inscription. Inscription: Ur-gis-me-e (C.J.G.)
18994	35-1-14	(none)	(none)	Cylinder seal. Lapis lazuli. Two hunters fighting a lion.
19022C	35-1-100C	(none)	(none)	(A) Gold fillet, as [drawing] (B) Gold frontlet, oval with pierced ends. Bad condition; (C) Beads: very long carnelian tubes, balls; lapis tube and double conoid; silver balls; balls of gilt copper; flattened carnelian(?) disk.
18457	33-35-178	(none)	(none)	Cylinder seal. Milky crystal. Geometrical (?) designs in 2 registers.
18365	33-35-176	(none)	(none)	Cylinder seal. Lapis lazuli. 3 standing figures.
18218	33-35-171	(none)	(none)	Cylinder seal. Carnelian. Broken and incomplete. [drawing] Conventional design.
18284	33-35-170	(none)	(none)	Stamp seal. Facetted conical: chalcedony. Persian type. Two standing figures worshipping before an altar: crescent above.
18347	33-35-155	(none)	(none)	Fruit of gold and carnelian. A simple bead of carnelian shaped thus [reference to drawing], through which is a slender gold stem with a rounded cap above.
18690	33-35-153	(none)	(none)	Beads. Carnelian balls and date-shaped, and one lapis lazuli ring.
18465	33-35-152	(none)	(none)	Beads. Carnelian rings and 1 tubular.
18484	33-35-150	(none)	(none)	Beads. Carnelian rings.
18427	33-35-149	(none)	(none)	Beads. Carnelian polished rings.
18433	33-35-148	(none)	(none)	Beads. Carnelian tumbler.
18580	33-35-147	(none)	(none)	Beads. Carnelian rings.
18555	33-35-146	(none)	(none)	Beads. Long rings of cowrie and other shells, shell rings and tubular, large flat rings of black stone, lapis cylindrical and balls, carnelian cylindrical.
18554	33-35-145	(none)	(none)	Beads. Carnelian rings and shell cylindrical, the latter coarsely made.
18585C	33-35-125	(none)	(none)	[A-I] A set of weights. Weights in grains [A] (1) Diorite, pierced at one end. 413 grs. [B] (2) Hematite . 130grs. [C] (3) Hematite 64grs. [D] (4) Hematite 65grs. [E] (5) Steatite 37grs. [F] (6) Steatite 7grs. [G] (7) Steatite 10grs. [H] (8) Hematite 78grs. [I] (9) Doubtful weight: white calcite shaped as a plano-convex brick 315grs. [CARD MISSING Typed Transcription from British Museum Card]
18155	32-40-327	(none)	(none)	Cylinder seal. Pale amethyst. Warrior in chariot shooting with bow and arrow: a fallen enemy beneath the horse's hooves. Poor cutting.