Unearthing the Past: Discovering the Geological Secrets of Zabargad Island’s Peridot Gems

In ancient times, the island of Zabargad, located off the southern coast of Egypt in the Red Sea, was known for its peridot gemstones. Despite its lack of fresh water and biodiversity, the island is rich in geology, with peridotite, a coarse-grained igneous rock, containing beautiful blue peridot gemstones. These gems were highly prized and used as jewelry for Mediterranean kings.

Evidence of mining on Zabargad Island dates back more than 3,500 years to ancient Egypt. While the Greeks believed the island was the source of topaz and called it “Topazios,” scientists have identified the rock as peridotite, rich in olivine and pyroxene. Inside the peridotite layer, olivine can form the gemstone peridot, known for its brilliant yellow-green color.

Peridotite forms deep in the Earth’s upper mantle, at depths of over 150 km, and was pushed to the surface through geological processes millions of years ago. Due to its proximity to the Red Sea Narrows, an area of tectonic activity, Zabargad Island remains above