Why is jade’s history so significant?

Rubies and sapphires, pearls and diamonds – gemstones have a way of telling a story that weaves through tales of royals, romance, and resilience. But jade’s story is different. It’s longer, for one. But the story of jade lays against a timeline of dynasties, discoveries and drama.

The story of jade is a story about the survival of civilizations.

 

Before the advancements in metallurgy that ushered in the Iron Age, almost every civilization with access to jade utilized it for tools and weapons. Some experts even refer to these periods within various civilizations as a “Jade Age.”

This trend is more commonly observed with nephrite jade, though jadeite jade was also used. Nephrite jade's hardness made it possible to carve, while its toughness ensured durability. Nephrite could be sharpened to create knife-like edges and shaped into celts and chisels, making it highly valuable for daily life and survival. For Stone Age civilizations, possessing jade meant having tools and weapons with sharp edges and properties akin to those of metal.

Nephrite jade from the Ogden Mine in British Columbia, Canada. Photo courtesy of Jewels of the Trade.

Ancient Canada’s History with Jade

Many believe Canada’s interaction with jade is new, but archaeologists have found Inuit tools made of jade dating back 4,000 years, mined from what is now British Columbia.These ancient peoples made significant use of nephrite jade in the form of axes, arrowheads and chisels – but they didn’t have the same reverence for jade that Ancient China did.

Much like today, ancient Canadian jade was extracted from boulders transported by the Fraser River, which naturally eroded them into smaller, carveable sizes. Larger boulders were also used but posed more significant challenges.

In modern history, nephrite jade was rediscovered in British Columbia during the construction of Canada’s first transcontinental railroad in the late 1800s by Chinese laborers. However, formal mining operations didn’t begin until the 1960s, leading to the export of nephrite jade to New Zealand, Germany, and Taiwan for jewelry.

Big Sur jade at the “History of Jade in Monterey County” exhibit at Stanton Center. Photo courtesy of Jewels of the Trade.

 

Jade History in the USA

California

Today, American nephrite jade is found in Washington, California, Wyoming, and Alaska, while American jadeite jade is found in California. The history of jade in California, although significant, is relatively recent. The discovery of California nephrite jade is debated, likely occurring in the late 1800s or early 1900s, possibly by gold miners prospecting in the area. However, there is no written record until its official discovery in the 1940s after the opening of California's Highway 1.

The stone gained popularity among abalone divers in the 1950s and 1960s, sparking a "Jade Rush" in California that led to the overextraction of nephrite in Big Sur. This overextraction prompted government regulation in the 1970s and 1980s. Today, jade hunters can collect jade pebbles from the beach but are prohibited from using tools to mine or extract it from cliff faces.

Alaska

Alaska’s history with jade predates California’s significantly. Although Alaska is not a major player in today's jade market, its ancient history mirrors Canada’s, with indigenous peoples using nephrite jade to craft tools, weapons, utensils, and more.

A notable event in Alaskan jade history involves US Navy Lieutenant George M. Stoney, who discovered nephrite jade at Jade Mountain in the Kobuk Valley in 1886. This mountain had been a jade source for indigenous peoples for hundreds or possibly thousands of years. Lieutenant Stoney found jade on his third expedition in search of the stone. Why a Navy lieutenant was involved remains a mystery, but it appears the Navy was indeed interested in jade. The term "Jade Mountain" may not be appropriate, however, as most of the material found was actually serpentine. 

Commercial jade mining in Alaska did not begin until the 1940s and was never extensive. Currently, there are no commercial mining operations, only some alluvial prospecting. Occasionally, Alaskan jade appears at gem shows like the Monterey Bay Jade Festival, but it is not commonly sold in jewelry stores.

Guatemalan jadeite jade rough. Photo courtesy of Jewels of the Trade.

The Lost Jade of the Maya

Thanks to professionals like Mary Lou and her late husband Jay Ridinger, we now know that jadeite jade in Guatemala comes from the Motagua River valley. Jade from this area has been found in archaeological digs in many countries, with the oldest discovery dating back to 1150 BC in Costa Rica.

Pre-Columbian civilizations used jadeite jade for celts, axe heads, religious relics like burial masks, and jewelry such as necklaces, bracelets, and even grills. For the Mayans, much like in China, jade was associated with royalty and often buried with rulers.

The first Europeans to encounter jade in the Americas were Spaniards in 1518, but it didn't reach Spain until Sir Walter Raleigh brought it back and introduced it as "piedra de ijada" (stone of the kidneys). Interestingly, this term eventually evolved into "nephrite," even though it referred to jadeite jade.

It's unclear if the Spanish conquerors knew or cared about the jade's source, and this knowledge was lost for several centuries. In 1952, Robert Leslie found a jadeite boulder near the Motagua River, and geologist William Foshag later speculated on the jade's source in Central America. Unfortunately, his study was published posthumously, and the source remained undiscovered.

In the 1970s, archaeologist Mary Lou Johnson and American businessman Jay Ridinger used Foshag’s research and tectonic plate theory to locate the ancient source of jadeite jade in Guatemala. They founded Jade Maya, the first Guatemalan jade business, thus reviving the Guatemalan jade trade.

For more on this fascinating history, check out Gerard Helferich’s book, Stone of Kings: In Search of the Lost Jade of the Maya.

New Zealand nephrite jade. Photo courtesy of Jewels of the Trade.

Pounamu: New Zealand Jade

In New Zealand, you don’t always hear the word “jade.” Both nephrite jade and bowenite are referred to as “pounamu.” 

It's important to understand that the first people arrived in New Zealand between 1200 and 1300 AD. The descendants of these Polynesian settlers, known as the Māori, used nephrite jade to create tools and weapons. They called both nephrite jade and bowenite “pounamu,” although bowenite was used ornamentally as it wasn't tough enough for tools.

New Zealand had a vibrant jade trade, especially on the South Island, where jade was sourced and sold to the North Island Māori for tools, weapons, utensils, and adornment.

European explorers arrived in the 1600s, bringing metal tools and weapons, which decreased the demand for nephrite jade. Concurrently, New Zealand jade was exported by explorers and traders until the 20th century when the New Zealand government banned the export of unprocessed jade. From then until the 1970s, it was illegal to import jade into New Zealand.

By the 20th century, New Zealand’s jade economy had largely declined, but international demand persisted. Germany filled this gap by producing jade carvings, some of which ended up in museums mislabeled as authentic Māori carvings.

Māori jades have significantly influenced today's jade carving cultures in New Zealand and America. The New Zealand jade scene revived a few decades ago, and modern jade carvers now pay tribute to Māori culture with carvings of tokis (axe blades), fish hooks, the koru (a spiral symbol), and other modern interpretations of Māori symbols.

Swiss Lake Dwellers

There is a lesser-known history of jade in the Alps. Prehistoric Swiss peoples, known as the “Swiss Lake Dwellers,” built their houses on stilts over the lakes.

This civilization existed from approximately 4300 BC to 800 BC, so we know relatively little about their culture and its use of jade.

Jadeite jade axe heads, possibly up to 6,000 years old, have been found in the Alpine region. These jade artifacts are believed to have originated from the Italian Alps and have been discovered in Italy, Switzerland, France, and Scotland.

For more jade history, continue reading in Part Two. (coming soon)