![scrapbook page with pictures of George Harlow in the field in mesoamerica and some jade artifacts](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/ii_hfj_mesoamerica/4218953-4-eng-US/ii_hfj_mesoamerica_full_495.jpg 495w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/ii_hfj_mesoamerica/4218953-4-eng-US/ii_hfj_mesoamerica_full_990.jpg 926w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/ii_hfj_mesoamerica/4218953-4-eng-US/ii_hfj_mesoamerica_full_1468.jpg 926w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/ii_hfj_mesoamerica/4218953-4-eng-US/ii_hfj_mesoamerica_full_1980.jpg 926w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/ii_hfj_mesoamerica/4218953-4-eng-US/ii_hfj_mesoamerica_full_2475.jpg 926w)
![climbing up mountainside looking for jade](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/mesoamerica_inguatemala/4200498-1-eng-US/mesoamerica_inguatemala_full_495.jpg 495w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/mesoamerica_inguatemala/4200498-1-eng-US/mesoamerica_inguatemala_full_990.jpg 990w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/mesoamerica_inguatemala/4200498-1-eng-US/mesoamerica_inguatemala_full_1468.jpg 1468w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/mesoamerica_inguatemala/4200498-1-eng-US/mesoamerica_inguatemala_full_1980.jpg 1568w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/mesoamerica_inguatemala/4200498-1-eng-US/mesoamerica_inguatemala_full_2475.jpg 1568w)
in Guatemala
Guatemala is a fabulous place to hunt for Jade. To find a jade site, we traveled through forest, climbed up steep mountainsides, and crossed rivers.
![carved jade artifacts](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/mesoamerica_artifacts/4200477-1-eng-US/mesoamerica_artifacts_full_495.jpg 495w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/mesoamerica_artifacts/4200477-1-eng-US/mesoamerica_artifacts_full_990.jpg 990w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/mesoamerica_artifacts/4200477-1-eng-US/mesoamerica_artifacts_full_1468.jpg 1109w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/mesoamerica_artifacts/4200477-1-eng-US/mesoamerica_artifacts_full_1980.jpg 1109w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/mesoamerica_artifacts/4200477-1-eng-US/mesoamerica_artifacts_full_2475.jpg 1109w)
artifacts
These are amazing jade carvings found in Mesoamerica, a region made up of Central and Southern Mexico and parts of Central America. Since the 18th century, no one knew where the jade came from. It was a big mystery!
![new jade pieces found with similar qualities to Olmec artifacts](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/mesoamerica_itsamatch/4200490-2-eng-US/mesoamerica_itsamatch_full_495.jpg 495w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/mesoamerica_itsamatch/4200490-2-eng-US/mesoamerica_itsamatch_full_990.jpg 990w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/mesoamerica_itsamatch/4200490-2-eng-US/mesoamerica_itsamatch_full_1468.jpg 1414w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/mesoamerica_itsamatch/4200490-2-eng-US/mesoamerica_itsamatch_full_1980.jpg 1414w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/mesoamerica_itsamatch/4200490-2-eng-US/mesoamerica_itsamatch_full_2475.jpg 1414w)
It's a match
I was thunderstruck at our incredible discovery! The new jades were more translucent. Some even looked like the rare translucent blue and blue-green with the white spots, like the jade of Olmec artifacts.
![George Harlow standing on large jade boulder in Guatemala in 1984](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/mesoamerica_standingonjadeboulder/4200494-1-eng-US/mesoamerica_standingonjadeboulder_full_495.jpg 495w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/mesoamerica_standingonjadeboulder/4200494-1-eng-US/mesoamerica_standingonjadeboulder_full_990.jpg 990w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/mesoamerica_standingonjadeboulder/4200494-1-eng-US/mesoamerica_standingonjadeboulder_full_1468.jpg 1300w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/mesoamerica_standingonjadeboulder/4200494-1-eng-US/mesoamerica_standingonjadeboulder_full_1980.jpg 1300w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/mesoamerica_standingonjadeboulder/4200494-1-eng-US/mesoamerica_standingonjadeboulder_full_2475.jpg 1300w)
standing on jade boulder
I began searching for jade in Guatemala in 1984. We explored north of the Motagua River and found jade in an area about 20 kilometers (12 miles) long. This the largest block we found at that time: a piece of some 30 tons, as heavy as five elephants!
![mountainside after a landslide caused by hurricane with newly exposed jade deposits](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/mesoamerica_afterthehurricane/4200502-2-eng-US/mesoamerica_afterthehurricane_full_495.jpg 495w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/mesoamerica_afterthehurricane/4200502-2-eng-US/mesoamerica_afterthehurricane_full_990.jpg 990w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/mesoamerica_afterthehurricane/4200502-2-eng-US/mesoamerica_afterthehurricane_full_1468.jpg 1468w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/mesoamerica_afterthehurricane/4200502-2-eng-US/mesoamerica_afterthehurricane_full_1980.jpg 1500w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/mesoamerica_afterthehurricane/4200502-2-eng-US/mesoamerica_afterthehurricane_full_2475.jpg 1500w)
after the hurricane
In 1999, a devastating hurricane hit Central America, causing landslides and exposing new earth. Soon after, we learned that local expert jade hunters, called jaderos, found new areas of jade.
![George Harlow between large boulders that have some jade](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/mesoamerica_findingmorejade/4200481-1-eng-US/mesoamerica_findingmorejade_full_495.jpg 495w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/mesoamerica_findingmorejade/4200481-1-eng-US/mesoamerica_findingmorejade_full_990.jpg 990w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/mesoamerica_findingmorejade/4200481-1-eng-US/mesoamerica_findingmorejade_full_1468.jpg 1468w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/mesoamerica_findingmorejade/4200481-1-eng-US/mesoamerica_findingmorejade_full_1980.jpg 1500w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/mesoamerica_findingmorejade/4200481-1-eng-US/mesoamerica_findingmorejade_full_2475.jpg 1500w)
finding more jade
With help from the jaderos, or local jade hunters, we kept finding more and more jade in little areas on both sides of the river. As of now, these little deposits span over the area of 100 kilometers (62 miles) wide, as big as Rhode Island.
Image Credits:
all field photos: courtesy of George Harlow and colleagues (Virginia B. Sisson, Sorena S. Sorensen, Hans G. Avà Lallemant, Carlos Gonzales, Russell Seitz, Mauricio Chiquin Yoj, Thomas W. Donnelly, E. Peter Olds, Robert Kane, Han Htun, Myint Soe, Dr. Saw Nawn U, and George R. Rossman) raw jade and artifact match: courtesy of George Harlow and colleagues; two artifacts: courtesy of AMNH, Denis Finnin