TURQTJOISE. Eso., En.
Tttrkiss, . . . . GER. Turchina IT.
Firozah, . . . . HIND. I Turquesa, . . . SP.
This precious stone is found at Khojend, in Mawar-ul-nahr or Transoxiana, at Shebavek, in hills near Shiraz, in the Tibet hills, in Kirman, and in a mountain of Azerbijan, where the mine was discovered about fifty years before Ahmad bin Abd-ul-Aziz composed his Treatise on Jewels. Ile describes the mine about 30 miles from Nish pur as most celebrated from early ages for that particular kind of turquoise entitled Abu Ishaki, which, says he, averts evil from those who wear it, conciliates the favour of princes, augments wealth, preserves the sight, ensures victory over an adversary, and banishes all unpleasant dreams. The ancient sages, when first they beheld a new moon, immediately after fixed their eyes, says he, on the Firozah. The turquoise. from whatever source, is apt to change colour if brought in con tact with acids, musk, camphor, or other scents, and possibly from the state of the weather. Small clear Persian stones found at Nishapur in Kho rasan, sell at 6d. to 20s. each, whilst a fine ring stone will realize from F..10 to i40; a perfect stone
of the size of a shilling aud of good depth has been sold for 1400. It varies from white to fine azure blue, but it is only the fine blue stones that are of any value. From the Persian name Firozalt is the colour called Firozah rang, turquoise blue. The best are from Nislutpur, and are described by Ferrier RS classed into eight kinds,—fatalii, azhani, sulimani, zanwi, asmani, abd-til-hamidi, Indalisi, kanjinya. Turquoise of Iladakhshan is of a blue colour, but is inferior to that of Nishapur. Turquoise is rather a favourite stone with the Multammadans of India. Near Khojend is a turquoise mine, but the stones found there are of a greenish hue, and far less esteemed than those of NiOuipur. There is another of in significant note somewhere in Kirman. It is a hydrated phosphate of aluninum.—Frascr's Khor asan, p. 105 ; Mrs. Harvey, Tartary, etc., i. p. 355; General Ferrier ; Ouseley's Travels, i. p. 211 ; Emmanuel ; Tavernier ; Markham's Embassy, 10.8.