Precious stones in the medieval Islamic world pearly, coral, ruby, jade, ivor, sapphire

The subject of this thesis is precious stones such as pearl, coral, ruby, jade, ivory, and Sapphire in the medieval Islamic are. This study has used the main sources of the period and today's research works. Stone, known as a hard object, has been associated with different meanings and concepts in past societies. For example, the states established in Mesopotamia in ancient times believed in the talisman of stones, they were used as amulets and necklaces. For an item to be considered a gemstone, it must be rare, durable, and attractive in beauty. It is seen that jade was widely used in the pre-Islam era. In this period, particularly, it is seen that jade has legendary qualities and therefore it has become an indispensable item for society. In addition, the Turks and the Arab society living in the same period believed that the jade stone had the blessings of rain and immortality. Precious stones, which became an important source of livelihood for people in the medieval Islamic world, brought commercial importance to the geographical regions where they were located. These stones have become an indispensable element for the women of the period in many ways, especially as jewelry, decoration items for dresses, clothes, and shoes. Ornaments are among the important jewels that have attracted societies in the past. Precious stones have a very important place among these ornaments. Especially pearl, coral, ruby, jade, ivory, sapphire had a very important value in almost all societies in the Middle Ages. These stones were both the cause of wealth and the foremost among the jewelry items. In this study, the situation of precious stones such as pearl, coral, ruby, jade, ivory, and sapphire in the medieval Islamic world is investigated. The aim of this thesis is to evaluate the production, the purposes for which the precious stones (Pearl, Coral, Ruby, Jade, Ivory, and Sapphire) are used, their trade, and their functions in the medieval Islamic world. In addition, some unique aspects of these precious stones such as the formation process, naming, geographical region, production, health benefits, economic value, trade, presenting it as a gift, using it as an ornament, and dowry are discussed in detail.