Peridot Mining History: Not Always Pretty
Written by Author on June 12th, 2010Peridot is named from the French word peritot, meaning gold. Some different types of the stone seem to be significantly more gold than green. Peridot is a birthstone for the month of August and it’s usually the gemstone presented for any sixteenth wedding anniversary.
Early Records
Peridot carries a rather long recorded history. Old papyri report the actual mining of the gemstones since 1500 BC. The main resource of peridot throughout the ancient world most likely was Topazo Island (currently Zabargad or St. John’s Island) situated in the Red Sea.
Slavery
In ancient times, peridot gemstones were being utilized as talismans. Island dwellers were forced into slavery in order to accumulate all the jewels needed for the Pharaoh’s treasury. Old legend says that soldiers guarding the area had orders to actually eliminate any trespassers on sight.
Nighttime Mining
It is actually thought that normally mining occurred by night since the jewels were hard to view during the day. These raw gems were almost clear and so seemed to be hard to come by unless it had become dark enough to allow the gemstone’s reflection to finally be observed quite readily.
The Egyptian Connection
The peridot gemstone is the acknowledged national gemstone of Egypt. Throughout Ancient Egypt it became referred to as “the gem of the sun.” Peridot gemstones were mined for more than 3,500 years on St John’s Island. As recently as the 1800s, Egypt had an absolute monopoly concerning the mines. For a while, the island’s distinct whereabouts were a mystery. The place came to be discovered again in 1905.
From the Color Encyclopedia of Gemstones 2nd Edition:
“Zabargad is an island in the Red Sea that is often shrouded in fog, making it difficult for ancient navigators to find. The location has been lost in fact, for centuries, and was rediscovered in about 1905. The island is located 35 miles of the Egyptian coastal port of Berenica.”
During the 1800′s, all the mines on Zabargad Island provided millions of dollars worth of peridot. Subsequent to 1905 output of the gems peaked; however, by the the later part of 1930′s excavation dwindled off to practically nothing and finally came to a virtual standstill in 1958, when mines became nationalized.
Whatever the past travails of the peridot gemstone, today it is readily available to you in beautiful gemstone jewelry. We have gorgeous gemstone jewelry for your pleasure at Citrine Gemstone and Blue Topaz Gemstone, as well as Peridot Gemstone. You’ll be delighted that you did!