458 SYSTEMATIC DESCRIPTION OF PRECIOUS STONES 



in A'itu was known only in Central Asia and in New Zealand. In accordance with these facts, 

 a theory has been elaborated, mainly by Heinrich Fischer, of Freiburg (Baden), that the 

 material, either in its worked or its rough coiidition, was carried probably from Central 

 Asia to the places where it is now found. 



Recently, however, nephritoids in the rough condition have been found in several 

 districts where formerly only worked specimens had been known. Moreover, it has been 

 observed that the microscopic structure of all such specimens is identical, and that it differs 

 from that of the material which occurs in Central Asia. On these grounds, it is argued by 

 F. Berwerth, of Vienna, and especially by A. B. Meyer, of Dresden, that the view held by 

 Fischer is unsupported by fact, and that the objects found in any one region were worked 

 out of rough material found in the same neighbourhood. This view is now very generally 

 accepted, although, in some places where such remains are to be found, the source whence 

 the rough material was derived has not yet been discovered. In these cases it is probable 

 that, unless the deposit was exhausted by prehistoric man, a closer investigation of the 

 district would reveal its location. 



The nepliritoids are opaque, or at most translucent; they are sometimes brightly 

 coloured, but, as a rule, are an inconspicuous green or grey colour, or almost colourless. 

 Their external- appearance is thus widelv different from that of gems proper, and their 

 application in Europe is extremely limited. They are highly esteemed, however, by people 

 in a primitive state of civilisation in other parts of the world. Thus the nephrite which 

 occurs in New Zealand is worked by the Maoris, and the jadeite which occurs in Burma by 

 the Burmese in the same way as these substances were worked by the ancient inhabitants of 

 Europe in prehistoric times. The nephritoids are, however, most highly esteemed in 

 China. Together with certain other minerals of similar appearance, they are there referred 

 to as " yu," and are certainly more favoured by the Chinese as a nation than any other stone. 

 There are several varieties of " yu,'' and they are worked in China not only for personal 

 ornaments but also for plates, bowls, vases, sword-handles, idols, and such like objects, 

 some of the work being executed with amazing skill and taste. Objects fashioned out of 

 nephrite and jadeite are much valued elsewhere in the Orient, in Central Asia, Turkey, &c., 

 but it is in China that the industry is most flourishing, and from this country that a 

 considerable number of worked articles are exported. 



NEPHKITE. 



Nephrite is known as axe-stone, because it is frequently found fashioned into axc- 

 heads ; and also as kidney-stone, because it is often worn as a charm to prevent kidney 

 diseases. Both in English and in French it is often referred to as jade. It belongs to the 

 amphibole or hornblende group of minerals, and its chemical composition is represented 

 by the formula CaO.SMgO.^SiOg, in which a variable amount of magnesia is replaced by 

 an equivalent proportion of ferrous oxide. The following is an analysis of nephrite from 

 Eastern Turkestan : 



lOC-07 



