312 SYSTEMATIC DESCRIPTION OF PRECIOUS STONES 



character of the minerals with which they are associated to stones known to have come from 

 these mines. 



Emeralds from South America were first introduced into Europe at the end of the 

 sixteenth century, and from this period up to the year 1830 all the emeralds which came 

 into the market were brought from this country. 



At the time of the Spanish conquest of South America many large and beautiful 

 emeralds were found in the possession of the Peruvians. The mines from which these stones 

 had been derived were probably at the time of the invasion deserted and filled in by the 

 natives, for the search made for them by the Spanish conquerors was altogether unavailing. 

 They are supposed to have been situated in the Manta valley near Puerto Viejo, from whence 

 is said to have come the emerald the size of an ostrich's egg, which was worshipped by the 

 ancient Peruvians as a deity. However that may be, it is certain that at the present day 

 no emeralds are found in Peru. 



The number of stones which the Spaniards took from the natives and shipped to 

 Europe must have been enormous. Jose d'Acosta relates that the ship by which he voyaged 

 from Peru to Spain in 1587 carried two cases, each of which contained no less than a 

 hundredweight of emeralds. This large importation of emeralds from Peru, together with 

 the abundant yield from the mines soon afterwards discovered in Colombia, had the effect of 

 very considerably lowering the price of these stones, which up to then had been so rare in 

 Europe. The South American emeralds were far finer than any previously introduced into 

 Europe whether from Egypt or elsewhere, and hence emeralds of good quality came to be 

 distinguished as " Peruvian," or " Spanish," just as the finest specimens of other precious 

 stones were given the prefix " oriental," whether they came from the Orient or not. Many 

 of the emeralds now in use as gems are the same stones as those brought over to Europe by 

 the Spaniards from Peru. In most cases, however, their shape has been altered from time 

 to time in order to conform to the passing fashion of the day. It is said that the Spaniards 

 were possessed of the idea that a genuine emerald would withstand a blow from a hammer, 

 and that many Peruvian stones were in consequence reduced to splinters by being subjected 

 to this test. 



The Spaniards found the natives of Mexico also in possession of very beautiful emeralds, 

 in many cases cut with great skill into peculiar and characteristic forms which are not seen 

 elsewhere. Five stones cut into the shapes of fantastic flowers, fishes, and other natural 

 objects were brought to Europe by Cortez. Since nothing is known as to the natural 

 occurrence of emeralds in this country, it is inferred that the ancient Mexicans obtained the 

 rough stones either from Peru or from the mines in Colombia. 



Though the Spaniards were unsuccessful in searching for naturally occurring emeralds 

 in Peru and Mexico, and could obtain the beautiful green stones only from the treasure 

 stored up in the graves and temples of the ancient Peruvians and Mexicans, they were more 

 fortunate in the country now known as Colombia or New Granada. Here the deposits 

 from which the natives obtained their stones were easily found, and it is from this same 

 source that the emeralds which now find their way into the markets of the world are for the 

 most part derived. 



Besides the Colombian deposits there is no other well-authenticated occurrence of 

 emerald in South America, the existence of the supposed Peruvian deposits being by no 

 means unquestionable. This being so, it has been suggested that the emeralds found by the 

 Spaniards in the possession of the natives of Venezuela and Ecuador, and specially of Peru, 

 were all derived from the Colombian deposits. The term " Peruvian emerald," except when 

 used to describe the quality of a stone, is therefore misleading. South American emeralds 



