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)
16422V	(none)	(none)	(none)	Weight Haematite Thus: [Drawing] Section: [Drawing]. Weight= 1.28 Grs 1/2 Minette (nominally 1.4025). Type XVI
16422X	(none)	(none)	(none)	Weight Hematite. Lentoid. Weight 0.640 grs. 1/5 Minette (nominally 0.541). Type II.
16424	(none)	1931,1010.1	(none)	Statue. White limestone, with eyes inlaid with shell and lapis; traces of black paint on hair. Female figure standing, hands clasped in front of the body. Nose broken, one eye pupil restored. The hair is simply treated with curls across the forehead, then a broad bandeau; the back hair is brought up & over the bandeau in a small chignon and hangs in a heavy wave above the shoulders & at back of head. She wears a plain chiton & heavy cloak falling from the shoulders over the arms in straight lines to the feet. The feet are missing, the base of the stone being broken away; when found the statue was let into a round baase and bitumen had been plastered round it & smoothed down so as to make a spreading skirt at the expense of loss of design to the figure, which was this reduced from an original height ofc. 54mm to 37mm (the bitumen has been kept on by waxing). It had also been broken in half and mended with bitumen. The workmanship is not very good, and the decayed surface of the stone does it less than justice - but the type is a good classical one. The statue was obviously an antiquity given a place of honor in a temple which must date to circ. BC; so that the date of the statue might well be as early as the 3rd dynasty of UR.
16425	(none)	(none)	(none)	Statue. White limestone; broken in half but complete. The eyes inlaid with lapis, brown-painted shell and steatite, the nose of plaster, yellow paint on top of head. Female figure, standing rigid, the hands clasped in front of the body; she wears a long garment with 7 pleated flounces reaching to the ground, the arms hiden by the second flounce with seems to be a short cape. Two long tresses of hair hang down in front over the shoulders, the rest of the hair hangs down behind in a heavy square-cut netting. A bandeau passes across the forehead and also it rises a flat sharp-edged disk marked by criss-cross lines. It is painted yellow & may represent the (early) gold ribbon headdress; in the top of it at the back are 3 holes in which must have been stuck hed ornaments after the fashion of the (early) comos. The ears are pierced for metal ear0ring. The nose (perhaps because the original had been broken off(?) was made separately; there was a deep slot to fasten it on; one half of the nose modeled in plaster (out in bad condition & mishappen) was found and has been provisionally attacked. The figure is extraordinarily ugly, and the workmanship is flaccid and mechanical.
16429D	(none)	1932,1008.54	(none)	Weight Haematite. Broken & repaired. thus: [drawing 1:1] To be weighed. Type XVII.
16429E	(none)	1932,1008.57	(none)	Weight Diorite greenish-black chipped thus: [drawing] weight = 24.62 grs. Perhaps = 3 sheqels (nominally 25.248 grs.). Type? IV.
16429F	(none)	1932,1008.51	(none)	Weight Hematite. Long ovoid, with small hole bored at 1 end. To be weighed. Type ?
16429H	(none)	1932,1008.52	(none)	Weight. haematite(?). lentoid. red-purple. To be weighed. Type II.
16429K	31-43-94	(none)	(none)	Weight. bugle [crossed out] cylindrical. haematite. red-brown. Weight 0.296 grs. 2 little sheqels (nominally 0.280). Type III.
16429Q	31-43-104	(none)	(none)	Weight Black diorite, ovoid. Weight 15.936 grs. Identification dubious. Type I.
16429W	(none)	1931,1010.173	(none)	Weight Flattened ovoid. diorite. black. Weight = 1.60 = 1/2 Minette (nominally 1.4025). Type I.
16552	(none)	(none)	(none)	Cylinder-seal, hematite. No personal name Shamash: Aia H.C. 30/II, 8.
16558	(none)	(none)	(none)	Haematite cylinder seal. "O divine Gimil-Sin, "mighty king, "King of Ur; "Ahuni, "the cup-bearer, "is thy servant." H.C. 30/II, 14.
16603	(none)	(none)	(none)	Ear stud. Dark green hematite. [drawing 1:1]
16619	(none)	(none)	(none)	Celt. Black stone. Hematite(?) [drawing]
16633	(none)	(none)	(none)	Miniature celt. Hematite. [drawing 1:1]
16637	31-43-135	(none)	(none)	Beads. 3 agate lentoids, 40 carnelian ring beads. Minute.
16653	31-43-154	(none)	(none)	Flat amethyst seal, and 5 carnelian beads.
16656	31-43-62	(none)	(none)	Cylinder seal, carnelian. 2 bird-like beasts and star.
16658	31-43-143	(none)	(none)	Beads. Painted amethyst lentoids and double concoids. Agate balls and barrels. Glass ball bead. 1 copper tubular bead.
16666	(none)	(none)	(none)	Beads. Lapis lazuli, carnelian, agate tubular and barrel beads.
16679	(none)	(none)	(none)	Cylinder seal. Lapis lazuli. Palm tree, bull rampant and backed against it a man-headed(?) bull rampant.
16683	(none)	(none)	(none)	Beads. 9 carnelian - double conoids and balls, rings.
16684	31-43-155	(none)	(none)	Carnelian and frit beads. [card shows only profile drawing of a vase]
16685	(none)	1931,1010.256	(none)	Beads. Carnelian: balls and rings and double conoids. Amethyst: double conoids. Lapis lazuli: balls and rings. Agate: lentoids, barrels. Glass paste: lentoids, balls, rings.