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jade
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Uncut (left) and cut jadeite. Chinese jade blade, Late Neolithic period to early Shang period, c. 2000–1000 bce; in the Art Institute of Chicago. jade sculpture Mayan ear disks hei-tiki Jade horse head jade medallion dagger with a horse-head handle Dragon among clouds, carved jade medallion or button, Ch'ing dynasty, probably late 18th century (reign of Ch'ien-lung); in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London
At a Glance
Dragon among clouds, carved jade medallion or button, Ch'ing dynasty, probably late 18th century (reign of Ch'ien-lung); in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London
jade summary
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Basalt sample returned by Apollo 15, from near a long sinous lunar valley called Hadley Rille. Measured at 3.3 years old.
(Bed) Rocks and (Flint) Stones
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Uncut (left) and cut jadeite.
Uncut (left) and cut jadeite.

jade

gemstone
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Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
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•History

jade, either of two tough, compact, typically green gemstones that take a high polish. Both minerals have been carved into jewelry, ornaments, small sculptures, and utilitarian objects from earliest recorded times. The more highly prized of the two jadestones is jadeite; the other is nephrite. Jadeite and nephrite differ in both chemical composition and crystalline structure. Jadeite is a silicate of sodium and aluminum and is classed as a pyroxene. Nephrite is a silicate of...

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