From the Blurb: Jade: valued above all other precious stones by the Chinese, fought for by the Maoris of New Zealand and offered as gifts to the conquering Spaniards by the Aztecs of Mexico, this rare and valuable mineral has a long and controversial history which spans 4,000 years and five continents. Jade, which was claimed as a cure for kidney disease by the Spaniards and buried in graves by the Chinese (who believed in imparted immortality), is known today mostly as jewellery in the familiar 'jade green'. But illustrated in this book, jade is seen to range from darkest grey-green to purest white, blue, brown, pink and gold. So hard and so difficult to work, jade is shown here carved into a multiplicity of objects-jewellery, weapons, bowls and vases-depicted in all the richness and variety of its many colours. J.P. Palmer, an Assistant Keeper at the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, has provided a comprehensive introduction to the fascinating story of jade-what it is, where it came from, how it was carved and how it was used. Glowing and translucent with reflected light, jade is endowed with the special quality, peculiar to this beautiful stone, of combining gem-hardness with delicacy; fragility with impressive strength. It is unique. In the 54 full-colour plates more than 80 works of art are illustrated and there are eight black and white illustrations.;Introduction -- Physical properties of jadeite and nephrite -- Where jade is found -- China -- Persia and India -- New Zealand -- Pre-Columbian America -- Chronological tables -- Map -- Notes on the illustrations -- Plates: -- Shang halberds -- Spear head -- Cormorant holding a fish; goose -- Stag and hind -- Pair of plaques -- Three Han discs -- Sword furniture -- Pi disc -- Han sceptre -- Pi disc -- Han horse's head -- Water vessel -- T'ang horse -- Sung camel -- Sung camel -- Set of tablets -- Sung vessel -- Sung libation cup -- Bowl and porcelain cup stand -- Water-buffalo -- Ming bowl -- Ming bowl -- Dragon horse -- Standing figure -- Buddhist ritual vessels -- Jade book -- Vase and cover -- Vase and cover -- Moon vase -- Bowl on mask feet -- Bowl on mask feet -- Circular screen -- Rhyton -- Belt buckle -- Lotus-leaf vase -- Imperial seals -- Small animals -- Persian jug -- Mughal drinking vessel -- Cup with birds' head handles -- Cup with ibex head -- Mughal terrapin -- Mughal mirror back -- Mughal hukka bowl -- Mughal dagger handles -- Maori hei-tikis -- Maori mere -- Maori ornaments -- Olmec mask -- Pomona flare -- Maya flares -- Maya plaque -- Maya mask -- Aztec rabbit.