A Jade Treasury

Jade is the most romantic and blood-drenched stone on earth. To ancient peoples all over the world it was sacred. In China, Confucius raved about it, wars were fought over it and fifteen cities were once offered in exchange for a piece of it. The Aztecs of Central America treasured it more than gold. The Maori in New Zealand loved it so much they killed and ate ten British sailors who tried to steal an adz made from it. If you want to know the story of the pirates who poisoned a man to get hold of it or how many slaves an Eskimo would swap for a piece of it, then this is the book for you.