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)
8585	(none)	(none)	B16820	Gold beads etc. 14 flat disks and 19 balls, small and 1 large double conoid. With these a few small carnelian and lapis, amongst the former some diamonds laterally pierced.
9351D	(none)	(none)	B16819	Beads. Gold, lapis lazuli and carnelian. Three gold suspenders, 2 consisting of a gold ring attached to a single piece of gold foil which is a spacer for 3 necklaces. The third is a gold ring set with a gold flower pattern consisting of 12 petals represented only in outline. Also, 2 cones of spiral gold wire attached to a gold foil spacer for 2 strings. 3 Pear shaped gold beads pierced vertically. A piece of gold wire passes through the hole. At the top it is rolled over twice to form a spacer for 2 strings and at the bottom end twisted round once to prevent it from slipping. 3 lentoid lapis beads fitted with gold attachments similar to the above, except that one of the ha spacers for 3 instead of 2 strings. Also, 4 carnelians with similar gold attachments one a lentoid, 2 flattened ball beads, and 1 flattened double conoid. 5 gold pears (slender type) perforated at apex: 6 large gold double conoids and 10 small. A gold triangle consisting of 6 rows of minute ball beads, 2 lines of minute gold beads soldered together as above are both spacers, 1 for six the other for seven strings. 2 fluted gold ball beads and 1 fluted pear shaped bead. 8 minute gold ring beads. 26 carnelian lentoids. 5 carnelian bugle beads. 5 carnelian double conoids. 4 or 5 carnelian minute ring & ball beads. 2 lapis leaf shaped beads [drawing] thick in section. 7 lapis large double conoids. 32 lapis small double conoids. 2 ribbed conical lapis beads with a straight piece projecting from the base. 4 pear shaped lapis beads. About 50 smaller lapis beads, ring beads, ball beads, bugle beads, etc.
8008	(none)	(none)	B16815	Lapis lazuli beads. A great number, all small, some minute. With lapis spacers for 3 parallel strings.
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.
7620	(none)	(none)	B16813	41 lapis lazuli beads. 5 bugle beads, 2 barrel beads, 1 double conoid, rest ball beads.
8101	(none)	(none)	B16812	String of beads. Lapis lazuli. 16 double conoids.
8011A	(none)	(none)	B16811	Beads. Very large carnelians. Double conoids and one or two bugles. These were strung in 4 parallel strings [A-D] (one set made up with a similarly shaped gold bead) apparently with lapis balls between the carnelians, but this was not quite certain. [see also U.8017]
8012	(none)	(none)	B16811	Beads. 15 lapis ball beads of different sizes but all large: some are ribbed. Perhaps strung up with U.8011.
8224.1	(none)	(none)	B16809	[.1-.2] Beads. Lapis and carnelian, mixed small types, ball, lentoid and bugle, and a few ribbed ball beads of gold.
7945	(none)	(none)	B16808	Necklace. 6 lapis lazuli double conoids [drawing] (not to scale). 4 lapis double conoids -smaller type [drawing]. 6 carnelian double conoids. 2 carnelian ring beads.
9209	(none)	(none)	B16807	Bangle 61 beads 11 gold double conoids, 50 lapis double conoids.
8011B	(none)	(none)	B16805	Beads. Very large carnelians. Double conoids and one or two bugles. These were strung in 4 parallel strings [A-D] (one set made up with a similarly shaped gold bead) apparently with lapis balls between the carenlians, but this was not quite certain. [see also U.8017]
9351C	(none)	(none)	B16804	Beads. Gold, lapis lazuli and carnelian. Three gold suspenders, 2 consisting of a gold ring attached to a single piece of gold foil which is a spacer for 3 necklaces. The third is a gold ring set with a gold flower pattern consisting of 12 petals represented only in outline. Also, 2 cones of spiral gold wire attached to a gold foil spacer for 2 strings. 3 Pear shaped gold beads pierced vertically. A piece of gold wire passes through the hole. At the top it is rolled over twice to form a spacer for 2 strings and at the bottom end twisted round once to prevent it from slipping. 3 lentoid lapis beads fitted with gold attachments similar to the above, except that one of the ha spacers for 3 instead of 2 strings. Also, 4 carnelians with similar gold attachments one a lentoid, 2 flattened ball beads, and 1 flattened double conoid. 5 gold pears (slender type) perforated at apex: 6 large gold double conoids and 10 small. A gold triangle consisting of 6 rows of minute ball beads, 2 lines of minute gold beads soldered together as above are both spacers, 1 for six the other for seven strings. 2 fluted gold ball beads and 1 fluted pear shaped bead. 8 minute gold ring beads. 26 carnelian lentoids. 5 carnelian bugle beads. 5 carnelian double conoids. 4 or 5 carnelian minute ring & ball beads. 2 lapis leaf shaped beads [drawing] thick in section. 7 lapis large double conoids. 32 lapis small double conoids. 2 ribbed conical lapis beads with a straight piece projecting from the base. 4 pear shaped lapis beads. About 50 smaller lapis beads, ring beads, ball beads, bugle beads, etc.
8446A	(none)	(none)	B16803	178 beads Lapis double conoids, barrel beads and bugle beads Carnelian barrel beads 4 minute gold beads Originally these formed [A-C] 3 necklaces apparently worn round the neck one above the other. The bottom necklace consisted of the larger lapis beads, the necklace above of smaller lapis. The top string of lapis, carnelian and gold. Gold and carnelian were always next to one another, and between each gold and carnelian apparently 2 lapis.
8446C	(none)	(none)	B16803	178 beads Lapis double conoids, barrel beads and bugle beads Carnelian barrel beads 4 minute gold beads Originally these formed [A-C] 3 necklaces apparently worn round the neck one above the other. The bottom necklace consisted of the larger lapis beads, the necklace above of smaller lapis. The top string of lapis, carnelian and gold. Gold and carnelian were always next to one another, and between each gold and carnelian apparently 2 lapis.
8325	(none)	(none)	B16802	Figurine of bull in lapis lazuli wearing a false beard. [drawing] 1:1 Style of the 1st Dynasty of Ur.
9327	(none)	(none)	B16801	Beads Very small gold beds, small lapis, and silver disks: also, one long bugle of bloodstone. For order see Field Notes.
9351B	(none)	(none)	B16800	Beads. Gold, lapis lazuli and carnelian. Three gold suspenders, 2 consisting of a gold ring attached to a single piece of gold foil which is a spacer for 3 necklaces. The third is a gold ring set with a gold flower pattern consisting of 12 petals represented only in outline. Also, 2 cones of spiral gold wire attached to a gold foil spacer for 2 strings. 3 Pear shaped gold beads pierced vertically. A piece of gold wire passes through the hole. At the top it is rolled over twice to form a spacer for 2 strings and at the bottom end twisted round once to prevent it from slipping. 3 lentoid lapis beads fitted with gold attachments similar to the above, except that one of the ha spacers for 3 instead of 2 strings. Also, 4 carnelians with similar gold attachments one a lentoid, 2 flattened ball beads, and 1 flattened double conoid. 5 gold pears (slender type) perforated at apex: 6 large gold double conoids and 10 small. A gold triangle consisting of 6 rows of minute ball beads, 2 lines of minute gold beads soldered together as above are both spacers, 1 for six the other for seven strings. 2 fluted gold ball beads and 1 fluted pear shaped bead. 8 minute gold ring beads. 26 carnelian lentoids. 5 carnelian bugle beads. 5 carnelian double conoids. 4 or 5 carnelian minute ring & ball beads. 2 lapis leaf shaped beads [drawing] thick in section. 7 lapis large double conoids. 32 lapis small double conoids. 2 ribbed conical lapis beads with a straight piece projecting from the base. 4 pear shaped lapis beads. About 50 smaller lapis beads, ring beads, ball beads, bugle beads, etc.
8931B	(none)	(none)	B16799	[B] Beads. 5 pendants of bleached carnelian set in gold [drawing] 2 pendants of fluted spear shaped lapis beads set in gold 1 pendant, carnelian set in gold 1 pendant, gold mulberry leaf (broken) 1 gold bugle bead 4 v. small gold ball beads.
8693	(none)	(none)	B16798	Diadem. Composed of two pieces of gold (imitation chain) and 3 beads, large lentoids, 2 of lapis, 1 of gold. See field notes. The gold 'chains' are made of 4 strings of twisted 2-ply gold wire soldered together: one has come unsoldered at the end. The beads must have come in the middle of the forehead and a string must have connected the gold pieces behind the head.
8931A	(none)	(none)	B16797	[A] Beads. A quantity of lapis beads, many double conoids, one large square, some bugles and some small ball beads: also, a few fairly large carnelian rings: found with and presumably strung up with U.8931B
8127	(none)	(none)	B16795	Necklace. 158 lapis lazuli double conoids. 51 gold double conoids. 1 double conoid facetted gold bead. [drawing] not to scale. Beads apparently strung in the following order. 3 small lapis. 1 large lapis. 3 small lapis. 2 gold beads. 3 small lapis. 1 large lapis. 3 small lapis. 2 gold beads.
9351A	(none)	(none)	B16794	Beads. Gold, lapis lazuli and carnelian. Three gold suspenders, 2 consisting of a gold ring attached to a single piece of gold foil which is a spacer for 3 necklaces. The third is a gold ring set with a gold flower pattern consisting of 12 petals represented only in outline. Also, 2 cones of spiral gold wire attached to a gold foil spacer for 2 strings. 3 Pear shaped gold beads pierced vertically. A piece of gold wire passes through the hole. At the top it is rolled over twice to form a spacer for 2 strings and at the bottom end twisted round once to prevent it from slipping. 3 lentoid lapis beads fitted with gold attachments similar to the above, except that one of the ha spacers for 3 instead of 2 strings. Also, 4 carnelians with similar gold attachments one a lentoid, 2 flattened ball beads, and 1 flattened double conoid. 5 gold pears (slender type) perforated at apex: 6 large gold double conoids and 10 small. A gold triangle consisting of 6 rows of minute ball beads, 2 lines of minute gold beads soldered together as above are both spacers, 1 for six the other for seven strings. 2 fluted gold ball beads and 1 fluted pear shaped bead. 8 minute gold ring beads. 26 carnelian lentoids. 5 carnelian bugle beads. 5 carnelian double conoids. 4 or 5 carnelian minute ring & ball beads. 2 lapis leaf shaped beads [drawing] thick in section. 7 lapis large double conoids. 32 lapis small double conoids. 2 ribbed conical lapis beads with a straight piece projecting from the base. 4 pear shaped lapis beads. About 50 smaller lapis beads, ring beads, ball beads, bugle beads, etc.
8084	(none)	(none)	B16793	Beads. Lapis lazuli. Medium-sized double conoids and some balls.
8097	(none)	(none)	B16792	Beads. Very long bugles, 1 gold, 2 lapis, 3 carnelian, one of the latter facetted, & 4 small silver & 3 small gold balls. For original order see field notes.