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)
8965	(none)	1928,1009.41	(none)	Cylinder seal. lapis Very small, 2 seated and 2 standing figures.
8970	(none)	1928,1009.135	(none)	Beads. Small, gold over copper, and lapis strung up in sets of 2 and 4 of a sort.
8974	(none)	(none)	(none)	Beads. Gold-plated copper and lapis, small. (the former in bad condition)
8988A	(none)	1928,1009.55	(none)	[A] Cylinder seal. Lapis, with [B] gold caps. Fragmentary. There were found only 2 bits of the cylinder, lying apart, and the caps were some way off in the grave, which otherwise appeared undisturbed. Inscription of (servant of ?) the daughter of Sargon of Akkad., [A] Lapis cylinder found in two fragments + [B] gold caps (missing now?) See UEII No. 308
8996	(none)	(none)	(none)	Shell roundel. Convex above with incised 8 point star, the petals inlaid with lapis and red paste, 3 red and 5 blue of which one is missing. [drawing]
9000	(none)	1928,1009.378	(none)	Originally of wood (which has disappeared and left no trace at all), the top and edges encrusted with bone, shell, lapis and red paste tesserae set in bitumen: the bone tesserae are themselves engraved with geometrical and other patterns and inlaid with red paste and lapis. The board is in 2 unequal parts, rectangular, joined by a narrow neck: the upper part consists of 6 squares inside the border, the neck is 1 square wide and 2 long, the lower part had originally 4 rows of squares (12) and below those one or more rows of long triangular tesserae, shell and mother of pearl, with red paste triangles between them, the points of (one row of) the white tesserae pointing downwards. When found the object lay face downwards and on a slant: the upper part, nect, and 3 rows of squares of the lower part were complete, all except for one square at the bottom of the 4th row there was left there in position only a broken corner of a square. The broken square and 3 others, and also a number of triangles, were found separately in the dirt in front and below, but part of a row of white triangles (the red paste was reduced to powder) lay points upwards and face outwards against the back of the board: clearly the latter had been broken and doubled back: the tesserae at the line of the break had sprung and been dislodged. [drawing 1:5]
9008	(none)	(none)	(none)	Necklace. 42 lapis lazuli beads: blackened by fire. Double conoids, lantoids, roughly shaped ball beads, 1 large carnelian ring.
9010	(none)	(none)	(none)	Cylinder seal. Lapis Lazuli. Inscribed: Gilgamesh and Enkidu fighting rampant lion and rampant bull respectively. [The following is probably a later addition to the card] Legend: Ur-Igi-gal; servant of Igi-gal or of the Seer (?)
9018	(none)	(none)	(none)	String of beads 19 in all Small lapis, gold and carnelian barrel beads, a few ring beads and 2 large copper beads.
9022	(none)	1928,1009.78	(none)	Necklace Gold plated beads on a copper core, (double conoids), lapis lazuli double conoids and 1 long lapis lentoid
9023	(none)	(none)	(none)	Cylinder seal Lapis lazuli Gilgamesh and Enkidu back to back. The former, horned, grasps a rampant leopard? (a spotted beast) by the tail, the latter apparently wearing a tiara consisting of 4 erect head pieces grasps a rampant lion by the tail. Beyond, a horned and bearded hero advancing towards a rampant gazelle. c. 3000 BC
9024	(none)	(none)	(none)	Gilgamesh and Enkidu fighting rampant bull and rampant lion, respectively.
9027	(none)	(none)	(none)	Cylinder seal. Lapis lazuli. Man-headed bearded bull crossed with lion rampant. On one side a spotted leopard?, on the other side a gazelle, both rampant. A grotesque male figure grasps the leopard by the tail. This figure wears a tiara? This is represented by 4 engraved lines having the appearance of plumes over the head. Behind the gazelle near the top of the seal, a small grotesque figure resting upon one knee. Coarse second-rate cutting.
9030	(none)	(none)	(none)	String of beads. About 20. Minute carnelian and lapis ring beads. A carnelian barrel bead - a lapis ball bead.
9082	(none)	(none)	(none)	Cylinder seal Lapis lazuli 2 registers Above: male figure attacking rampant gazelle - behind the gazelle a rampant lion, also, figure behind the man. Beyond them a second male figure wearing a pigtail? Similarly engaged. Below: male figure holding rampant lion by the tail - a gazelle - 2 rampant lions crossed - a gazelle, all rampant. Also, a crescent moon - above a post?
9085	(none)	(none)	(none)	Copper pin Lapis ring bead head with copper cap. Broken in 3 pieces. [type] V
9088	(none)	(none)	(none)	Necklace Minute gold ball beads &minute carnelian barrel beads Original order: 3 gold beads to 1 carnelian.
9089	(none)	(none)	(none)	Necklace About 85 beads Silver & lapis lozenge shaped beads, slightly convex: 1 banded sard, lapis barrel & double conoid, & carnelian of similar type. Also, 2 carnelian bugle beads For order of stringing cf. Field Note PG 544 (18)
9094A	(none)	(none)	(none)	2 Necklaces A. Minute lapis ball beads. B. Minute silver ball beads Lapis necklace on top of silver.
9109	(none)	(none)	(none)	Beads Silver and lapis, thin lentoids.
9124A	(none)	(none)	(none)	[A-B] Beads 2 Long facetted conoids. One Lapis, 1- silver over a bitumen core. [drawing] [C] Also, a silver earring [drawing]
9129	(none)	(none)	(none)	Beads. Small carnelian rings, long bugles, and lapis beads small mixed.
9142	(none)	(none)	(none)	Beads. Diamond-shaped flat plate beads alternately lapis and gold plate over copper - the latter in bad condition. One string.
9143	(none)	(none)	(none)	Beads. Small lentoids of lapis & gold (thin plate over copper), with a few carnelians: strung in sets of 6. See field notes. one strings
9144	(none)	(none)	(none)	Beads very small lapis and gold balls, with them a pendant of artificial cat's eye (hematite(?) & shell) set in copper. [drawing of cat's eye]