Guatemalan Jade - The Mother Lode

Mother lode of jade comes to light in Guatemala
William J. Broad The New York Times
Thursday, May 23, 2002

For half a century, scholars have searched in vain for the
source of the jade that the early civilizations of the Americas
prized above all else and fashioned into precious objects of
worship, trade and adornment.

The searchers found some clues to the source of jadeite, as
the precious rock is known, for the Olmecs and Mayas. But
no lost mines came to light.

Now, scientists exploring the wilds of Guatemala say they
have found the mother lode - a mountainous region strewn
with huge jade boulders, other rocky treasures and signs of
ancient mining. It was discovered after a hurricane tore
through the landscape and exposed the veins of jade, some
of which turned up in stores, arousing the curiosity of
scientists.

The find includes large outcroppings of blue jade, the
gemstone of the Olmecs, the mysterious people who created
the first complex culture in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica, the
region that encompasses much of Mexico and Central
America. It also includes an ancient road of stone, 1,600
meters (5,200 feet) above sea level, that runs for kilometers
through the densely forested region.

The deposits rival the world's leading source of mined jade
today, in Burma, the experts say.

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