New Mexico Magazine The allure of turquoise, paperback/arnold vigil

First published in 1995, 'The Allure of Turquoise' has never lost its allure.

A symbol of New Mexico's beauty and ancient history, turquoise is highly valued.

The gem enthralls modern man just as it charmed the Ancestral Puebloans who lived in the great stone structures of Chaco Canyon.

In 1967, the New Mexico legislature adopted turquoise as the state gem, acknowledging its importance in the culture and history of the Southwest.

From early trade, to Native American ceremonial use, to trendy contemporary jewelry, turquoise inspires its collectors to trace the distinctive varieties of the mineral back to their individual mines.

This book includes articles on many aspects of the crown jewel of New Mexico, from geology and mining history, to its use and significance to American Indians.

Fascinating chapters discuss the 'allure' of the stone, old pawn, how to detect manufactured fakes, and even a special relationship between ants and turquoise.