Editing Soapstone (section)

=== Africa ===
Ancient Egyptian [[Scarab (artifact)|scarab]] signets and amulets were most commonly made from glazed steatite.<ref name=aldred>{{cite book |last=Aldred |first=Cyril |date=1971 |title=Jewels of the Pharaohs Egyptian Jewellery of the Dynastic Period |publisher=Thames and Hudson |pages=160–161 |isbn=0500231389}}</ref> The [[Yoruba people]] of West [[Nigeria]] used soapstone for several statues, most notably at [[Esie]], where archaeologists have uncovered hundreds of male and female statues about half of life size. The Yoruba of [[Ife]] also produced a miniature soapstone obelisk with metal studs called "the staff of [[Oranmiyan]]".

[[Soapstone mining in Tabaka, Kenya]] occurs in relatively shallow and accessible quarries in the surrounding areas of Sameta, Nyabigege and Bomware.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last=Akama |first=John |date=2018-08-14 |title=The Evolution and Resilience of the Gusii Soapstone Industry |journal=Journal of African Cultural Heritage Studies |language=EN |volume=1 |issue=1 |pages=1–17 |doi=10.22599/jachs.31 |issn=2513-8243 |s2cid=169646064 |doi-access=free}}</ref> These were at the time open to all to access provided they had the labor resources to do so. This mostly meant the men did the mining as they were custodian to the community land, meaning ancestral lands in Riamosioma, Itumbe, Nyatike etc.<ref name=":3">{{Cite journal |last=Akama |first=John |date=2018-08-14 |title=The Evolution and Resilience of the Gusii Soapstone Industry |journal=Journal of African Cultural Heritage Studies |volume=1 |issue=1 |pages=1 |doi=10.22599/jachs.31 |issn=2513-8243 |s2cid=169646064 |doi-access=free}}</ref>