A jade or precious stone used by the Aztecs for ornaments and rituals; a turquoise-like gemstone valued in Mesoamerican cultures.
From Nahuatl (Aztec language) 'chalchihuitl' (jade, precious stone). The word entered English through Spanish colonial documentation of Aztec culture.
The Aztecs valued chalchihuitl so highly that it became a symbol of water and life itself—they believed these stones held the power of the gods, and some were buried with emperors!
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