Gem minerals and materials from the Neolithic and Chalcolithic periods in Bulgaria and their impact on the history of gemmology

Studies of prehistoric (Neolithic to Chalcolithic period) artefacts from the territory of Bulgaria during the past decade revealed a lot of specific gem and decorative minerals and materials: nephrite, malachite, serpentinite, turquoise, jadeite, jet, carnelian, agate and jasper (including heliotrope). Nephrite artefacts in Bulgaria, as well as in some other countries on the Balkans, are widespread during the Neolithic and rare during the Chalcolithic – the nephrite sources are under discussion. A Balkan “nephrite culture” is introduced, which is supposed to be the earliest in the world, compared to the well known Chinese “nephrite cultures”. The Varna Chalcolithic necropolis (middle of the V mill. BC) is known with the earliest and largest amount of gold artefacts in the world, including also some copper objects from the copper mines near Stara Zagora. A large amount of beads are also identified as made by malachite (in rare cases with azurite), serpentinite, carnelian, agate, coal (jet), marble and shells. Some of the carnelian beads from Varna display 16+16 facets along their elongation, which is the first record for a constant and complex faceting of hard mineral known so far. An early prehistoric weight system links mineral beads and gold artefacts (the weight unit “van” is introduced, 0.4 g = 2 carats). The first report of turquoise beads for SE Europe is related to the Orlovo prehistoric site (Haskovo district). The “Thracian stone” in ancient sources is identified also as heliotrope, which is known since the Chalcolithic in the Eastern Rhodopes. Some of the artefacts are masterpieces of art and as stage of perfection, thus pointing to the Balkans as a cradle of prehistoric gemmology.