Callaïs

Callaïsperlen are small beads of green minerals, which are among the grave goods of Neolithic megalithic tombs in certain regions of France, Spain and Portugal.

Designation

The French mineralogist Damour analyzed in 1864 a pearl from the grave mound Mane- he - Hroëck at Locmariaquer (Brittany ). He gave the mineral name Callais, in reference to the term used by Pliny the Elder Kalláïnos in his Naturalis Historia. The pearl consisted Variscite. In general, however, involved the designation of Pliny the Elder on turquoise. Thus, the term Kallait was formerly used as a synonym for turquoise in the German language. In archeology, the term Callais has held for green beads of megalithic today.

Material

Analyzes in the 1970s have shown that the beads labeled CALLAIS consist partly of variscite, partly from Turquoise, rarely also from sericite, malachite and probably other minerals. From the literature it is therefore not clear from which material it is accurate. In all the beads, of which there is no provision of the material, hence the name Callais must be maintained.

Dissemination

The spread of Callaïsperlen shows three distinct areas: the narrow region around Carnac in Brittany (France), Catalonia (Spain ) and the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula (Portugal and Spain). In other regions, they are much less frequent.