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)
10401 (none) 1928,1010.174 (none) Beads Double conoids of gold & lapis See Field Notes
10402 (none) 1928,1010.357 (none) Copper Pin With lapis ball head capped with silver (broken) Type V
10403 (none) (none) (none) Beads double conoids of silver and lapis Type__
10407 (none) 1928,1010.102 (none) Cyliner Seal Lapis lazuli Presentation scene: 3 figures, all standing, and 2 columns of inscription: Bur iluda-gan; mar Ku-ru-ub iluadad
10408 (none) 1928,1010.98 (none) Beads 5 gold, 1 lapis, carnelian and agate Restrung not in original order Isin period
10410 (none) (none) (none) Beads Gold (1), agate and carnelian Isin-Larsa period
10412 (none) 1928,1010.1 (none) Harp The upright of wood with gold cap, bound below with gold and with a bitumen shoe: in the upright are the keys, copper nails with gilt heads. The body has disappeared, but there was a vertical border of gold and lapis along the edge. On the body stood a wooden sounding-box, the edge inlaid with shell having patterns in red paint and lapis. The head of the harp, in front, was a gold bulls head with eyes, hair, and beard of lapis. Found in very bad condition, all the wood gone and only the decoration left, but that virtually in its original position
10427 (none) 1928,1010.16 (none) Gold Pommel From a dagger handle set with small studs of lapis and gold (only seven of the studs were found). [drawing] 1:1
10438A (none) 1928,1010.713 (none) Chariot For design in general see notes The various parts are: A. Six lions heads in gold with lapis eyes and chests of lapis and shell. These are fixed to a board-edge. B. Small heads of lions and bulls in gold fixed to the top rail with blue and white inlay between them. C. 2 large panthers heads in silver with lapis eyes. D. 2 small lion heads in silver with inlay chests of shell and lapis; from the front of the chariot: with blue and white inlay between. One head completely destroyed. E. Quantities of inlay
10438C (none) (none) (none) Chariot For design in general see notes The various parts are: A. Six lions heads in gold with lapis eyes and chests of lapis and shell. These are fixed to a board-edge. B. Small heads of lions and bulls in gold fixed to the top rail with blue and white inlay between them. C. 2 large panthers heads in silver with lapis eyes. D. 2 small lion heads in silver with inlay chests of shell and lapis; from the front of the chariot: with blue and white inlay between. One head completely destroyed. E. Quantities of inlay
10438D (none) (none) (none) Chariot For design in general see notes The various parts are: A. Six lions heads in gold with lapis eyes and chests of lapis and shell. These are fixed to a board-edge. B. Small heads of lions and bulls in gold fixed to the top rail with blue and white inlay between them. C. 2 large panthers heads in silver with lapis eyes. D. 2 small lion heads in silver with inlay chests of shell and lapis; from the front of the chariot: with blue and white inlay between. One head completely destroyed. E. Quantities of inlay
10442 (none) (none) (none) Mosaic in shell and lapis Part of the decoration of the big box, occupying the middle of the near side. The background is of lapis, the figures shell. All had fallen from their position and in all cases the face of the shell was so decayed that little of the design remains. Most of the design was figures, but there were also bits of purely decorative design. One part of each was sufficiently in situ to be waxed: the rest picked out in fragments.
10445C (none) 1928,1010.160 (none) [A-D] 4 long slender rods of copper, two silver plated [A,B], two gold plated [C,D]. Corroded together at ? and the gold rods were found apart and are formally 2 distinct rods. Use quite unknown: nothing found with them to explain.
10450 (none) (none) (none) Drinking [struck out: "sceptic?'] Tube made of cylindrical lengths of lapis and gold strung on silver wire, or slender rod: it lay along the end of the box and one end was bent down into the large silver pot U____ also, half in this was a piece of silver tube which is probably the head of the sceptre.
10478A (none) (none) (none) Gaming-Board. With men and dice. [A] The board is of the usual shape with vertical borders of shell and red stone strips: round the edge a mosaic of minute tesserae in blue, red, and white. The squares were of the original wood which formed the body of the board, each square inlaid with 5 eyes of shell having red or blue centres, except for two which are squares of shell inlaid with a flower rosette having red and blue petals: the squares are divided by narrow ivory strips inlaid with red and blue dots. The wood has perished and has been replaced with plaster of paris. Under one end of the board were found the men in 2 piles: there are [C] 7 white and [B] 7 black, the latter of shell inlaid with 5 white spots, the former of shell engraved with animal scenes, the details and the background filled in with black. Under the other end of the board was [D] a set of six dice of white shell, solid triangles, having blue dots at 2 of the 4 points of each: scattered in the neighborhood was a [E] second set of lapis with gold points, of which only 4 were found. Found behind the chariot.
10478B (none) (none) (none) Gaming-Board. With men and dice. [A] The board is of the usual shape with vertical borders of shell and red stone strips: round the edge a mosaic of minute tesserae in blue, red, and white. The squares were of the original wood which formed the body of the board, each square inlaid with 5 eyes of shell having red or blue centres, except for two which are squares of shell inlaid with a flower rosette having red and blue petals: the squares are divided by narrow ivory strips inlaid with red and blue dots. The wood has perished and has been replaced with plaster of paris. Under one end of the board were found the men in 2 piles: there are [C] 7 white and [B] 7 black, the latter of shell inlaid with 5 white spots, the former of shell engraved with animal scenes, the details and the background filled in with black. Under the other end of the board was [D] a set of six dice of white shell, solid triangles, having blue dots at 2 of the 4 points of each: scattered in the neighborhood was a [E] second set of lapis with gold points, of which only 4 were found. Found behind the chariot.
10478C (none) (none) (none) Gaming-Board. With men and dice. [A] The board is of the usual shape with vertical borders of shell and red stone strips: round the edge a mosaic of minute tesserae in blue, red, and white. The squares were of the original wood which formed the body of the board, each square inlaid with 5 eyes of shell having red or blue centres, except for two which are squares of shell inlaid with a flower rosette having red and blue petals: the squares are divided by narrow ivory strips inlaid with red and blue dots. The wood has perished and has been replaced with plaster of paris. Under one end of the board were found the men in 2 piles: there are [C] 7 white and [B] 7 black, the latter of shell inlaid with 5 white spots, the former of shell engraved with animal scenes, the details and the background filled in with black. Under the other end of the board was [D] a set of six dice of white shell, solid triangles, having blue dots at 2 of the 4 points of each: scattered in the neighborhood was a [E] second set of lapis with gold points, of which only 4 were found. Found behind the chariot.
10478D (none) (none) (none) Gaming-Board. With men and dice. [A] The board is of the usual shape with vertical borders of shell and red stone strips: round the edge a mosaic of minute tesserae in blue, red, and white. The squares were of the original wood which formed the body of the board, each square inlaid with 5 eyes of shell having red or blue centres, except for two which are squares of shell inlaid with a flower rosette having red and blue petals: the squares are divided by narrow ivory strips inlaid with red and blue dots. The wood has perished and has been replaced with plaster of paris. Under one end of the board were found the men in 2 piles: there are [C] 7 white and [B] 7 black, the latter of shell inlaid with 5 white spots, the former of shell engraved with animal scenes, the details and the background filled in with black. Under the other end of the board was [D] a set of six dice of white shell, solid triangles, having blue dots at 2 of the 4 points of each: scattered in the neighborhood was a [E] second set of lapis with gold points, of which only 4 were found. Found behind the chariot.
10478E (none) (none) (none) Gaming-Board With men & dice [A] The board is of the usual shape with vertical borders of shell and red stone strips: round the edge a mosaic of minute tesserae in blue, red, and white. The squares were of the original wood which formed the body of the board, each square inlaid with 5 eyes of shell having red or blue centres, except for two which are squares of shell inlaid with a flower rosette having red and blue petals: the squares are divided by narrow ivory strips inlaid with red and blue dots. The wood has perished and has been replaced with plaster of paris. Under one end of the board were found the men in 2 piles: there are [C] 7 white and [B] 7 black, the latter of shell inlaid with 5 white spots, the former of shell engraved with animal scenes, the details and the background filled in with black. Under the other end of the board was [D] a set of six dice of white shell, solid triangles, having blue dots at 2 of the 4 points of each: scattered in the neighborhood was a [E] second set of lapis with gold points, of which only 4 were found
10537 (none) 1928,1010.199 (none) 4 Beads, 3 lapis, 1 silver, facetted double conoids silver in between lapis
10550 (none) 1928,1010.96 (none) Reins From the first wagon Made of silver beads averaging 010, long, and large facetted lentoids of lapis
10553 (none) (none) (none) Dagger Copper blade (broken) Hilt of silver with gold guard studded with lapis and gold studs on pommel: the silver all decayed.
10557 (none) (none) (none) Gaming-board of silver, the face composed of shell plaques engraved with mythological scenes & set in lapis frames
10561 (none) (none) (none) Frontlet Composed of 2 lengths of gold chain, 2 large lapis and 1 gold facetted lentoid beads and 2 carnelian ring beads
10563 (none) (none) (none) Lapis beads 2 large facetted lentoids & a number of small double conoids and striated balls.

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Inorganic Remains > Stones and Minerals > Mineral > Semi-precious