Neolithic and Chalcolithic Europe A lot of nephrite tools and amulets are known since the
Early Neolithic (7th millennium BC) to the
Late Chalcolithic (5th millennium BC) periods on the
Balkans (mainly Bulgaria; also in Greece, Serbia, Croatia, Romania) from two or more unknown sources — Balkan "nephrite culture". Such tools are found in the
Late Neolithic of Poland (from the most probable local source Jordanów),
Sardinia (Italy) (unknown source) and Switzerland. Single or just a few finds of nephrite artifacts are also reported from some other European countries.
Prehistoric and historic China During
Neolithic times, the key known sources of nephrite jade in China for utilitarian and ceremonial jade items were the now depleted deposits in the Ningshao area in the
Yangtze River Delta (
Liangzhu culture 3400–2250 BC) and in an area of the
Liaoning province in
Inner Mongolia (
Hongshan culture 4700–2200 BC). Jade was used to create many utilitarian and ceremonial objects, ranging from indoor decorative items to
jade burial suits. Jade was considered the "imperial gem". From about the earliest
Chinese dynasties until present, the jade deposits in most use were from the region of
Khotan in the Western Chinese province of
Xinjiang (jade deposits from other areas of China, such as
Lantian,
Shaanxi, were also in great demand). There, white and greenish nephrite jade is found in small quarries and as pebbles and boulders in the rivers flowing from the
Kuen-Lun mountain range northward into the
Takla-Makan desert area. River jade collection was concentrated in the
Yarkand, and the White Jade (
Yurungkash) and Black Jade (
Karakash) Rivers in Khotan. From the
Kingdom of Khotan, on the southern leg of the
Silk Road, yearly tribute payments consisting of the most precious white jade were made to the
Chinese imperial court and there transformed into by skilled artisans, as jade was considered more valuable than
gold or
silver.
Prehistoric Taiwan and Southeast Asia Carved nephrite jade was the main commodity trade during the historical
Maritime Jade Road, an extensive trading network connecting multiple areas in Southeast and East Asia. The nephrite jade was mined in east
Taiwan by animist
Taiwanese indigenous peoples and processed mostly in the
Philippines by
animist indigenous Filipinos. Some were also processed in
Vietnam, while the peoples of
Malaysia,
Brunei,
Singapore,
Thailand,
Indonesia, and
Cambodia also participated in the massive
animist-led nephrite jade trading network, where other commodities were also traded. Participants in the network at the time had a majority animist population. The maritime road is one of the most extensive sea-based trade networks of a single geological material in the prehistoric world. It was in existence for at least 3,000 years, where its peak production was from 2000 BCE to 500 CE, older than the Silk Road in mainland Eurasia. It began to wane during its final centuries from 500 CE until 1000 CE. The entire period of the network was a golden age for the diverse animist societies of the region.
Māori Nephrite jade in
New Zealand is known as in the
Māori language and is highly valued, playing an important role in
Māori culture. It is considered a , or treasure, and therefore protected under the
Treaty of Waitangi. The exploitation of it is restricted to the
iwi (tribe) and it is closely monitored. The
South Island of New Zealand is in Māori—'The [land of] Greenstone Water'—because that is where it occurs. Weapons and ornaments are made of it; in particular the (short club) and the (neck pendant). These are believed to have their own (prestige), are handed down as valuable heirlooms, and often given as gifts to seal important agreements. It has also been used for a range of tools such as
adzes and was used to make nails used in construction, as Māori culture had no metalworking before European contact. Commonly called "greenstone", jade
jewellery in Māori designs is widely popular with tourists. Stone is often imported from Canada, China and
Siberia, and runs a pounamu certification scheme to verify the authenticity of New Zealand stone. ==References==