Sunday, August 2, 2026
Science

Green stones buried with Panama's ancient chiefs confirmed as Colombian emeralds

More than 1,000 years ago, Panama elites were buried together with translucent green stones long suspected to be emeralds. However, scientific analysis confirming the suspicion has never been conducted. Now, scientists have confirmed for the first time that these green gems were emeralds that travel...

Green stones buried with Panama's ancient chiefs confirmed as Colombian emeralds
Image: Phys.org
More than 1,000 years ago, Panama elites were buried together with translucent green stones long suspected to be emeralds. However, scientific analysis confirming the suspicion has never been conducted. Now, scientists have confirmed for the first time that these green gems were emeralds that traveled more than 700 km through complex trade networks linking Central and South American societies.

Originally published at Phys.org

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