Jade!

[Azure]

They seem to have discovered the source for all that really cool Olmec blue jade:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/a/2002/05/22/MN195858.DTL

I want some!

[Danustouch]

Wow! I think it's almost MORE amazing that this stayed hidden for so long, then the fact that it was discovered at all! lol. It's amazing that it was never found until now, being as large as it is!

Yes..it's beautiful stuff :) I just hope they don't start selling chunks off to the highest bidder now, when there is probably such a sacredness to it, and ..so much to be discovered from it.

[Theres]

it is amazing that this has remained hidden until now, although maybe less so when you consider that there are still Mayan temple sites that are only now being discovered in the dense jungles of that area.
and i too hope that this doesn't get exploited , although considering the horrible poverty of some of these Central American countries, it does seem inevietable (sigh).

[Azure]

Sadly, I think exploitation is already a given.