African Turquoise 3mm Smooth Rounds

African Turquoise 3mm Smooth Rounds Bead Size 3mm Approx. 16" long Sold by the strand. Price is for ONE STRAND ONLY Turquoise is an opaque gemstone with rich color variations from green and greenish blue to bright sky blue shades. Turquoise has been an important gemstone in many cultures for thousands of years. The name turquoise is said to have originated when was gem was first brought to Europe by traders from Asia Minor, even though the traders were not necessarily of Turkish origin. Most likely Turquoise from that time came from mines in Egypt, not Turkey. Today important deposits are also found in Afghanistan, Australia, Brazil, China, Tibet, Israel, United States and Mexico. Historically, the Aztecs mined turquoise in an area now known as New Mexico and a significant amount of fine Turquoise still comes from Arizona, California and Nevada. Throughout history Turquoise has been considered a precious stone by ancient Egyptian, Persian, and other Eastern cultures. In the ancient