The Geology of Nephrite Jade in China and Its Sourcing for Archaeological Comparisons

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Two Approaches to Archaeological Jades: Source Characterization and Social Valuation" session, at the 84th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

The occurrence of nephrite is primarily linked to ophiolite locations around the world and is associated with serpentinite (S-nephrite); however, most nephrite in China is associated with metamorphosed magnesian limestone (dolomarble) deposits (D-nephrite). Characterizing D-nephrite by chemical variation rather than major mineral components has greatly improved in the last two decades. Analyses of D-nephrite sourced from different areas of China are beginning to show patterns that may help in linking archaeological artefacts to raw material sources. Unusual quantities of particular trace minerals (e.g. Wollastonite), elemental ratios (e.g. Mn/Fe), Rare Earth Elements (REE), and isotopes (e.g. strontium) are now known for several source deposits of both D-nephrite and S-nephrite in China. A few can be related to specific archaeological artefacts, though characterization of the latter is impeded by restrictions on destructive techniques.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Two Approaches to Archaeological Jades: Source Characterization and Social Valuation   •
• Society for American Archaeology 84th Annual Meeting, Albuquerque, NM (2019)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 22871