Who Discovered Emeralds?
The emerald is a highly valued, rare gemstone, coveted for its distinctive green color. Precisely who discovered the first emerald is unknown. Emeralds could have been mined as long ago as 1650 B.C., in upper Egypt, according to "Encyclopedia Britannica."
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Ancient Emeralds
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Emeralds are known to have been mined by Greeks in the time of Alexander the Great, (356-323 B.C.). Later, the mines were worked during ancient Egyptian queen Cleopatra's reign, (51-30 B.C.).
Rediscovery
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Remains of Cleopatra's mines were rediscovered in 1817 by French traveler, F. Cailliaud. The nearly exhausted mines were reopened for a short time, under then-ruler of Egypt, Mehemet Ali.
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South America
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Emeralds were taken from the Incas upon the Spanish conquest of South America in the early 16th century. The Spaniards accidentally found mines there years later. The Chivor mine in Colombia was discovered by Spaniard Pedro Fernandez Valenzuela in 1537, for example.
Recent Discovery
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Terry Ledford, a miner and gem enthusiast, pulled a 310-carat emerald (later cut to 64 carats) from a North Carolina farm in September 2009. The discovery made international news as the gem is the largest ever to be found in North America, where emeralds are rare.
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References
- Photo Credit emerald ring image by studio vision1 from Fotolia.com
