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)
7664	(none)	(none)	(none)	Cylinder seal. Lapis lazuli. Blue. 2 registers. Top register: scene of worship. Goddess wearing high horned headdress leads votary by the hand towards seated god who wears flat headdress with horns. Botom: 3 swans swimming on water.
7666	(none)	(none)	(none)	3 complete carnelian beads. 2 fragments. One small lentoid, the rest large bugle beads slightly convex in the middle. One of the 3 complete beads broken and mended. Neo-Babylonian.
7693	(none)	(none)	(none)	String of beads. Gold, carnelian and lapis.
7893	(none)	(none)	(none)	String of beads. Lapis lazuli. Blue. 52 in number. Small ring beads, a few double conoid and 1 large ball bead.
7896	(none)	(none)	B16883	Cylinder seal. hematite. Black. Hero wearing conical cap and short garment which only falls to the knees, and carrying a bird? in his left hand approaches a standing deity wearing high headdress and flounced kaunakes skirt. Behind the hero, naked Ishtar.
7910	(none)	1928,1009.138	(none)	Frog amulet. Lapis lazuli. [drawing 1:1][CARD MISLABELED U.7940B][Arabic notes on back of card] [CARD MISSING Typed Transcription from British Museum Card]
7918	(none)	(none)	(none)	Bead. Agate. Lentoid.
7922	(none)	(none)	(none)	Weight Lentoid. hematite. Type II.
7924	(none)	(none)	(none)	Bead Crystal Cylindrical with truncated conical top. [drawing 1:1]
7927	(none)	(none)	(none)	Cylinder seal. Crystal. Slightly concave. Marble? core within roughly 8mm in diameter. Inscribed. Conical copper cap on one end. Bearded hero with protruding hair locks, mounted on dragon and clutching it by the tail. The dragon faces a bull rampant, head upraised, mounted by bearded hero similar to first also holding hismount by the tail. Between a couchant gazelle.
7944	(none)	(none)	(none)	Necklace 93 lapis lazuli double conoid 11 carnelian ring beads 1 carnelian bugle bead 2 lots of silver ball beads in groups of 4 and 3
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.
7953	(none)	1928,1009.12	(none)	Cylinder seal. White crystal, with copper caps; carinated. Two Gilgamesh figures each fighting a lion. Large cylinder, well cut. The central hole is filled with white paste having chevron bands of bright red which shows through the crystal. Inscribed.
7954	(none)	1928,1009.35	(none)	Cylinder seal. Lapis lazuli, with one gold cap. Damaged, chipped in lower register. Two registers; above, 4 figures approaching a seated deity; below, 3 figures (one broken away) approaching the seated deity behind whom is a crescent moon on a staff.
7955	(none)	(none)	(none)	Cylinder seal. Lapis lazuli. A tree, and 4 animals, 2 facing each way the central pair facing: rather poor engraving.
7956	(none)	(none)	B16856	Cylinder seal. Lapis lazuli: tall slender type broken in antiquity; mended. Two registers: above, 2 worshipers approaching a seated goddess with crescent. Below, 3 worshipers approaching a seated goddess with star; behind her a tree.
7957	(none)	1928,1009.40	(none)	Cylinder seal. Lapis lazuli. Introductory scene, standing god, minor god and worshipper. Poor engraving.
7958	(none)	(none)	(none)	Beads of carnelian etc. From a bracelet. 2 carnelian, 4 jasper (blood stone), lentoid bugles, 4 silver ball beads, 1 gold plated copper ball bead (decayed).
7959	(none)	1928,1009.64	(none)	Beads of gold and carnelian. Long bugles: 8 gold, 4 carnelian. With them were strung other beads; v. tomb notes.
7962	(none)	(none)	(none)	Beads of lapis, carnelian and gold, and one agate. Double conoids of different sizes, and 2 large gold-plated ball beads. 34 gold beads in all. There was evidence that these formed a separate string, stone and metal beads strung alternately.
7963	(none)	1928,1009.103	(none)	Beads. Mostly small ball beads of gold (thin leaf over copper), lapis, and a few carnelian (some rings). Apparently forming a single necklace, or two of the same pattern; one gold bead to every 1 or 2 stone according to size. Most of the gold beads were destroyed through the decay and swelling of the copper cores. One string containing the best gold beads made up for exhibition.
7985	(none)	(none)	(none)	Cylinder seal. Lapis lazuli. 2 registers: above, seated goddess with attendant behind receives a worshipper and a seated god with attendant below receives a worshipper. Below: banquet scene; 2 seated figures drinking through tubes; attendant behind one, design like a hatched shield.
8002	(none)	1928,1009.68	(none)	Gold and lapis chain. A very fine chain of gold wire links. Six lengths of chain connecting 5 double conoid lapis beads. The chain is square in section.
8004	(none)	1928,1009.84	(none)	Large ball bead of lapis with gold caps. Sphere with ribbed sides.
8006	(none)	(none)	B16889	Cylinder seal. Lapis lazuli. 2 registers: above, 2 seated figures, table and door. Below, 2 animals? Very deep cutting and most primitive style.