Fall 2000 Gems & Gemology - Gemfrance

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occur on Antigua. These were found only as finished objects, and apparently arrived on Antigua as a result of trade. We can only speculate as to the geographic origins of these nonlocal samples. The lapidary industry in Antigua appears to have similarities with that at nearby Montserrat, specifically in that carnelian was important among the stone objects at both sites. This article demonstrates how the gemological characterization of ancient gem materials can help archaeologists locate the source of the rough materials used in ancient jewelry and suggest early trade patterns. REFERENCES Allaire L. (1997) The Lesser Antilles before Columbus. In S. M. Wilson, Ed., The Indigenous People of the Caribbean, University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL, pp. 20–28. Anonymous (1818) Petrified wood from Antigua. American Journal of Science, Vol. 1, pp. 56–57. Ball S.H. (1941) The mining of gems and ornamental stones by American Indians. Smithsonian Institution, Bureau of American Ethnology Bulletin No. 128, Anthropological Papers, No. 13, pp. 1–77. Chanlatte Baik L.A. (1983) Catálogo Arqueología de Vieques. Museo de Antropología, Historia y Arte, Universidad de Puerto Rico, Recinto de Río Piedras, 90 pp. Cody A.K. (1990) Prehistoric patterns of exchange in the Lesser Antilles: Materials, models, and preliminary observations. M.A. thesis, San Diego State University, 422 pp. [University Microfilms, No. 1344090] Cody A. (1991a) Distribution of exotic stone artifacts through the Lesser Antilles: Their implications for prehistoric interaction and exchange. In A. Cummins and P. King, Eds., Proceedings of the Fourteenth Congress of the International Association for Caribbean Archaeology, Barbados, 1991, pp. 204–226. Cody A.K. (1991b) From the site of Pearls, Grenada: Exotic lithics and radiocarbon dates. In E.N. Ayubi and J.B. Haviser, Eds., Proceedings of the Thirteenth Congress of the International Association for Caribbean Archaeology, Curaçao, 1990, Reports of the Archaeological-Anthropological Institute of the Netherlands Antilles, No. 9, Willemstad, Curaçao, pp. 589–604. Crock J.G., Bartone R.N. (1998) Archaeology of Trants, Montserrat, Part 4: Flaked stone and stone bead industries. Annals of Carnegie Museum, Vol. 67, No. 3, pp. 197–224. Hovey S. (1839) Geology of Antigua. American Journal of Science, Vol. 35, pp. 75–85. Hurlbut C.S., Kammerling R.C. (1991) Gemology, 2nd ed. John Wiley, New York. Jackson J.A. (1997) Glossary of Geology, 4th ed. American Geological Institute, Alexandria, VA. Martin-Kaye P.H.A. (1959) Reports on the Geology of the Leeward and British Virgin Islands. Voice Publishing Co., St. Lucia, 117 pp. Martin-Kaye P.H.A. (1969) A summary of the geology of the Lesser Antilles. Overseas Geology and Mineral Resources, Vol. 10, No. 2, pp. 172–206. Multer H.G., Weiss M.P., Nicholson D.V. (1986) Antigua. Reefs, Acknowledgments: Dr. Murphy thanks Dr. D. R. Watters of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh for supplying the authors with rare literature references, and John Fuller of Antigua for field assistance. The authors also thank the following (all at the University of Calgary): Dr. G. Newlands, who took all specimen photos not acknowledged to others; M. Glatiotis, for assisting with chemical analyses using the scanning electron microscope and for X-ray diffraction analyses; J. Resultay, for preparing thin sections; and Professors L. V. Hills, J. W. Nicholls, and R. J. Spencer, for helpful discussions. J. I. Koivula at GIA in Carlsbad kindly performed the Raman analyses. Rocks & Highroads of History, Contribution No. 1, Leeward Islands Science Associates, St. John’s, Antigua. Murphy A.R. (1999) The prehistory of Antigua, Ceramic Age: Subsistence, settlement, culture and adaptation within an insular environment. Ph.D. thesis, Department of Archeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, 320 pp. Nicholson D.V. (1991) The Story of English Harbour. Historical and Archeological Society of Antigua, St. John’s, Antigua. Nicholson D.V. (1993) The Archaeology of Antigua and Barbuda. Museum of Antigua and Barbuda, St. John’s, Antigua. Nugent N. (1818) Notices of geology in the West-Indies. American Journal of Science, Vol. 1, pp. 140–142. Nugent N. (1821) A sketch of the geology of the island of Antigua. Transactions of the Geological Society (London), Vol. 5, pp. 459–475. Rodríguez M. (1991) Early trade networks in the Caribbean. In A. Cummins and P. King, Eds., Proceedings of the Fourteenth Congress of the International Association for Caribbean Archaeology, Barbados, 1991, pp. 306–314. Rouse I. (1976) The Saladoid sequence on Antigua and its aftermath. In R. P. Bullen, Ed., Proceedings of the Sixth International Congress for the Study of Pre-Columbian Cultures of the Lesser Antilles, Gainesville, FL, pp. 35–41. Rouse I. (1992) The Tainos: Rise and Decline of the People Who Greeted Columbus. Yale University Press, New Haven, CT. Watters D.R. (1997a) Stone beads in the prehistoric Caribbean. Bead Study Trust Newsletter, No. 29, Spring, pp. 7–8. Watters D.R. (1997b) Maritime trade in the prehistoric eastern Caribbean. In S. M. Wilson, Ed., The Indigenous People of the Caribbean, University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL, pp. 88–99. Watters D.R., Scaglion R. (1994) Beads and pendants from Trants, Montserrat: Implications for the prehistoric lapidary industry of the Caribbean. Annals of Carnegie Museum, Vol. 63, No. 3, pp. 215–237. Weiss M.P. (1994) Oligocene limestones of Antigua, West Indies: Neptune succeeds Vulcan. Caribbean Journal of Science, Vol. 30, No. 1–2, pp. 1–29. Wilson S.M., Ed. (1997a) The Indigenous People of the Caribbean. University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL. Wilson S.M. (1997b) Introduction to the study of the indigenous people of the Caribbean. In S. M. Wilson, Ed., The Indigenous People of the Caribbean, University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL, pp. 1–8. Pre-Columbian Gems from Antigua GEMS & GEMOLOGY Fall 2000 245
ABOUT THE AUTHORS Dr. Kiefert (gemlab@ssef.ch) is a research scientist and assistant director of the SSEF Swiss Gemmological Institute, Basel, Switzerland. Dr. Hänni (H-A.Haenni@unibas.ch) is director of SSEF and professor of gemology at Basel University, Switzerland. Please see acknowledgments at end of article. Gems & Gemology, Vol. 36, No. 3, pp. 246–253 © 2000 Gemological Institute of America NOTES AND NEW TECHNIQUES GEM-QUALITY HAÜYNE FROM THE EIFEL DISTRICT, GERMANY By Lore Kiefert and H. A. Hänni Haüyne is a rare mineral and an extremely rare gemstone. Recently, the authors studied a large number of faceted haüynes from the Eifel district of Germany. The R.I. and S.G. data were consistent with those reported in the literature, and the samples’ identity was confirmed by Raman spectrometry, with the key maxima at 543 and 988 cm -1 . EDXRF analyses revealed potassium and iron, as well as the major and minor elements expected in haüyne. Although mineral inclusions were uncommon, apatite and augite were identified, and negative crystals (often surrounded by healed fractures) were seen in approximately one-third of the stones. Short needles and fine, dust-like particles were present in about half the samples. Paraffin wax was identified in some open fissures. In the summer of 1999, the authors were surprised to receive 100 faceted haüynes (pronounced “hoween”) for analysis. The client who submitted these stones subsequently fashioned most of them into a brooch set with diamonds and a pink sapphire (figure 1). This butterfly brooch sold at the Sotheby’s November 1999 Geneva auction for 45,000 SFr (approximately US$30,000). In spite of its attractive color, however, haüyne is rarely seen in jewelry. Not only is the mineral itself rare, but it also has a relatively low hardness (5.5–6 on Mohs scale). Transparent haüyne primarily occurs as small crystals (see also Mertens, 1984) of an unusual bright “apatite” to “sapphire” blue color. Mineralogically, it is a feldspathoid that belongs in the sodalite group (which also includes sodalite, lazurite, and nosean), and is often one of the components of lapis lazuli. The chemical formula for haüyne is ideally (Na,Ca) 4–8 Al 6 Si 6 (O,S) 24 (SO 4 ,Cl) 1–2 (Mandarino, 1999). The crystal system for this silicate is cubic, the crystal class is 4 – 3m. Cleavage planes are distinct in the {110} direction, and twinning is common along {111}. Haüyne has been reported as white to gray, green, yellow, and red (Arem, 1987), but only the blue color has been noted thus far as faceted material. GEOLOGY AND OCCURRENCE Haüyne is found in association with alkaline volcanic rocks (mainly phonolites, which are composed of alkali feldspar, mafic minerals, and felds- 246 Notes and New Techniques GEMS & GEMOLOGY Fall 2000
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pg. 237 pg. 217 pg. 247 REGULAR FEA
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Figure 1. These two illustrations s
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Page 12 and 13: after processing revealed little ch
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Page 50 and 51: applicable to this report. These is
Page 52 and 53: TABLE 1. Saladoid gem and ornamenta
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Page 56 and 57: Baik, 1983; Cody, 1990; Rodríguez,
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Page 76 and 77: Aquamarine from southeast India. Fi
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Page 92 and 93: Gemological ABSTRACTS EDITOR A. A.
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Page 98 and 99: Tertiary-age diamondiferous fluvial
Page 100 and 101: JEWELRY RETAILING Mistakes jewelers
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