Turquoise inlaying was invented in Mashhad, but culminated in Isfahan, dating back to 60 to 70 years ago. The word turquoise dates to the 17th century and is derived from the French turquois meaning "Turkish" because the mineral was first brought to Europe through Turkey, from mines in the historical Khorasan of Persia. In Persian culture, turquoise is known to have healing properties, cleanse the body and protect from the evil eye. In recent times, turquoise has been devalued, like most other opaque gems, by the introduction onto the market of treatments, imitations, and synthetics.