A deep green member of the beryl family, the emerald is the rarest of the so-called precious gems. Though sources for emeralds are found in both the old and new worlds, a stone of good quality is still an elusive object. Emeralds without a flaw are almost unattainable, as the gem exhibits many natural inclusions, but these do not necessarily mar the stone's intense green beauty. The famous queen Cleopatra of Egypt mined emeralds near Zabara on the red sea coast in the first century B.C., wearing the jewels herself or giving them as gifts to favored friends. Julius Caesar particularly valued the gem, to which he ascribed strong curative powers. Emeralds were found in the buried roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, which probably came originally from Egypt. In Meso-America, emeralds were treasured by the native cultures, most particularly the Incas who worshiped them as sacred. When the Spanish conquistadors plundered the Inca Empire for gold and jewels, many remarkable large emeralds were taken to Europe, where they entered the treasuries of courts. Today, the major source for emeralds is South America and especially Columbia, where mines first worked by the Pre-Columbian cultures are still in use. The rarity of the emerald has al ways made it a valuable and potent talisman. It is said to cure diseases of the eye, free the body from poisons, arrest physical decay of all sorts, stop dysentery, facilitate childbirth and end attacks of epilepsy. The bright green of this gem makes it as desirable today as it has always been throughout the ages.