North American Turquoise Informative Speech

This gemstone occupies a place in history that no other gemstone has ever occupied. It was especially admired by the Egyptian, American Indians and the peoples of the Orient. This is the only "live" mineral able to change its color depending on the environment. This gemstone has several superstitions and legends surrounding it. Turquoise inspired awe and worship in most cultures. Turquoise was used in jewelery and for ritual purposes on all continents. All these peoples believed turquoise to be the happiest gemstone.

Turquoise is an opaque, blue, greenish, dark blue, or white( depending on its structure) hydrated copper aluminum phosphate mineral. It's considered a semiprecious stone, with its own unique hue. Sometimes it has inclusions of

North American turquoise differs in colors and patterns. It has been found in burial sites all over the world, in tombs of Egyptian Pharaoh's, shahs of Persia, and American Indian chiefs. The oldest semiprecious stone was found set in gold in Egypt. This mummy was found with four turquoise bracelets and its age was dated back to 6,000 BC. The famous mask of King Tut was inlayed with turquoise. There was also a Goddess of the desert and Sinai turquoise mines called Khator. Turquoise is also mentioned in the Hebrew and Christian Bible's in the book of Exodus: the twelve gems including turquoise on Aaron's breastplate symbolized the twelve tribes of Israel. In the Orient turquoise has always been highly thought of. It was used to decorate mosques and important buildings and jewelery was also found in the Tadj Makhal. This is also one of the favorite stones of Islam, all life sermons and miracles of the prophet Mohammed are said to be written on a single turquoise bead. In Tibet turquoise is predominantly mounted in silver. There it was considered a Deity, and famous Tibetan families took last names containing the name of this gem, to draw luck into their homes.The