What are the earliest known gems or minerals collected by man?

Question

In archeological sites, what is the oldest site where gems have been found? What kind were they?

Answer 1

Volcanic glass (obsedian I guess), and sea shells were among the first things that have brought trading practice among different tribes. Of course they were more, but those were the most importants. Before gold nuggets was found at least. Gold become important very early too, because of its maleability, it was the first metal that could be shape by primitive tools because of its natural softness, so it becomes a major trading object pretty early too!

Answer 2

I would expect that any gem or mineral collected would have been of utilitarian value, for what it could do for him/her, rather than for its value as a "pretty" object which to me, calls for an ordering of some esthetic values - and higher brain size, I would assume.  So, to some degree your question begs for a definition of "man", here.  

Anyway, utilitarian? Hmmm.... Perhaps a stone that was exceptionally hard - as in a rounded basalt stone for grinding or milling or for striking an enemy or prey, or a mineral able to cut flesh like obsidian/flint, or maybe a stone gathered just for its color, or say coal, for its ability to burn and provide heat.  (Interesting note: There is an underground coal fire in Australia that has been burning for thousands and thousands of years, perhaps started by a lightening bolt.)

Also, Children at play often gather same-sized stones... Perhaps there may be found a collection of pebbles of no particular value simply left by children playing.

These are just early thoughts...  It's a darn good question, though, and would lead me, if I were an archeologist on a dig, to keep an eye out for evidence of this type.

Answer 3

minerals=red ochre as a symbol of blood/life

gems=white quartz for magical "properties"

Answer 4

I don't know, but I would guess that the Sumerian civilizations were the earliest to have refined metals of any sort.

Since the earliest civilizations are called the "Iron Age" and "Bronze Age", they apparently had the capabilities to smelter ores and combine molten metals into alloys, but only to a limited extent.

Iron was probably the first refined metal and bronze was probably the first alloy.  

I think that gold and silver probably came along later in their roles as precious metals and substances of intrinsic value.  It is easy to see how gold became "THE" standard of wealth because, in its refined form, its combination of beauty and durability are STILL unique in all the world.  It is not bio-degradable, it does not rust, corrode or lose its basic characteristics over time as other metals do.

(When I saw the travelling exhibit of King Tut's treasures back in the '70s or '80s they were as bright, shiny and new-looking as if they had just left the studios of their original craftsmen.)

If you go back beyond the bronze and iron ages, though, I am thinking the first minerals were probably the flints and obsidians used for making primative tools.

My boyfriend/fiance chips arrowheads as a hobby and always uses obsidian.  He says that's what most of the genuinely old ones are made of.

Being almost more like glass than stone, obsidian chips and flakes in fairly predictable patterns.  It is a fascinating process to watch and I cannot tell his creations from originals.

(When he sold some of them at an auction, he had to stop the auctioneer from mis-representing them as genuine ancient artifacts.)

As far as more precious gemstones go, I imagine that the earliest decorations made from them would have been from intact crystals found in caves and volcanic deposits.  I think cutting and setting gems was a long time in coming - considering the kinds of specialized tools and skills needed for that.

I wish I had more knowledge on the subject to share with you, but I hope this much helps at least a bit.