Bone turquoise

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Description

A fossillized mammoth Bone or Ivory that has been treated to produce a turquoise blue color. Bone turquoise, or odontolite, originated in southern France. In the Middle Ages, a heat-treating techniqued was developed that turned the stone blue. It was used in jewelry to simulate Turquoise stones.

Synonyms and Related Terms

fossil turquoise; odontolite

Resources and Citations

  • Maggie C. Pedersen, Gem and Ornamental Materials of Organic Origin, Elsevier, London, 2004 Comment: p. 61
  • Random House, Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language, Grammercy Book, New York, 1997