Aquamarine gets its name from the Latin word aqua marinus, which translates to “water of the sea,” in reference to its pale blue color. It is the birthstone of March and is considered a symbol of friendship and loyalty. It is also associated with youth and beauty.
It was once believed that if you dreamed of aquamarine you were likely to soon make a new acquaintance. Oracles in the Middle Ages used to revere Aquamarine as a stone that could help with foretelling the future, and felt it made excellent crystal balls for divinatory pursuits.
Six Magical Uses for Aquamarine
Aquamarine is the “stone of the sea.” It is used for protection during travels and is also a stone of self-reflection.
Like the surface of the water, aquamarine can be used as a mirror into oneself and makes it a useful tool for meditation.
Aquamarine can be used to help further one’s understanding of themselves, as a tool in the pursuit of wisdom, as well as expand intelligence.
Crystal healers have used aquamarine to treat ailments such as toothaches, and sore throats.
Aquamarine has also been used to treat sunburns and fever, as aquamarine’s icy-blue color suggests the properties of a “cooling” effect.
Metaphysically speaking, aquamarine is connected to all things water, and even contains a magnetic pulse that is affected by the waxing and waning of the Moon, just like the ocean tide.
Interesting Facts About Aquamarine
Aquamarine is actually a form of Blue Beryl, and a majority of aquamarine comes from Brazil and Colombia.
Sometimes Aquamarine appears to have a yellowish hue, representing the iron inclusions within the stone. It is usually treated with heat to remove this coloration.
Dom Pedro is the name of the largest cut Aquamarine in the world, currently being housed at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C.
Sailors used to wear Aquamarine as a protection talisman and to help stave off seasickness while they were at sea, and some believed it to be the treasure of the mermaids themselves.
Aquamarine’s fleeting clear blue color can dull when exposed to sunlight for too long. However, it is often carefully treated with heat in order to enhance its color.
Aquamarine is usually cut into rectangular shapes to bring out its sparkling ocean blue.
The Magical Benefits of Aquamarine Stone*
Aquamarine is associated with the Heart Chakra and the Throat Chakra and is useful when wanting to restore peace and calm within, as well as helping with communication with others and courage.
Aquamarine’s calming blue is a reminder of its ability to help relieve stress and is also helpful when dealing with grief.
Wear Aquamarine to be instilled with courage and help with clarity while expressing emotions and speaking the truth.
For couples, aquamarine can be helpful in relieving marital tensions and can help rekindle the flame in couples who have been married for a long time.
Aquamarine is a suitable marital gift and is sometimes given to the wife by the husband on the morning after marriage.
Aquamarine stone is also believed to boost the immune system and alleviate allergies.
*FDA Disclaimer
The contents of this website are for informational purposes only and do not render medical or psychological advice, opinion, diagnosis, or treatment. The information provided through this website should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease. It is not a substitute for professional care. If you have or suspect you may have a medical or psychological problem, you should consult your appropriate health care provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. Links on this website are provided only as an informational resource, and it should not be implied that we recommend, endorse or approve of any of the content at the linked sites, nor are we responsible for their availability, accuracy, or content.
Yellow Jasper is a stone of protection. It is used for protection in both the spiritual and the physical world, and also when it comes to travel both on the astral and physical plane.
Yellow Jasper can also be used to deflect an envious person or gossip and negative rumors. It was used in ancient times as a “rain-bringer,” and is considered a nurturer stone because of its ability to help relieve stress and bring peace.
Yellow Jasper is also a stone of intellect and has been used by poets, physicians, scientists, and scholars to help keep the mind focused and clear. It is also useful when trying to connect with Nature; keep Yellow Jasper nearby while sitting outdoors or communicating with animals.
The Magical Benefits of Yellow Jasper*
Yellow Jasper aligns with the Solar Plexus Chakra, the chakra of courage and confidence. Wearing Yellow Jasper can boost self-confidence and attract positive energy. It is also good for forging close relationships.
Yellow Jasper is believed to be able to absorb pain and makes it a good companion in times of stress. It is also helpful when dealing with nausea and to boost the immune system as it is a detoxifying stone.
Interesting Facts About Jasper
The name jasper comes from the Old French word jaspre meaning “spotted stone,” in reference to the varieties of patterns jaspers often display, such as striped and spotted.
Jasper’s various patterns and incarnations are often a consequence of intrusions that grow within the stone, making for very interesting patterns once they settle over time. These inclusions can often appear as pictures, hence why some jaspers are called “picture jaspers.”
Yellow Jasper Frequently Asked Questions
What is Jasper stone used for?
Yellow Jasper aligns with the Solar Plexus Chakra, the chakra of courage and confidence. Wearing Yellow Jasper can boost self-confidence and attract positive energy. It is also good for forging close relationships.
What is a Jasper stone?
Jasper stone is a combination of quartz and chalcedony. It is commonly found in red, yellow, green, and brown colors. The iron inclusions in many jasper stones make them red, hence red jasper is the most common form of jasper.
What is the meaning of the name Jasper?
The name jasper comes from the Old French word jaspre meaning “spotted stone,” in reference to the varieties of patterns jasper often displays, such as striped and spotted.
*FDA Disclaimer
The contents of this website are for informational purposes only and do not render medical or psychological advice, opinion, diagnosis, or treatment. The information provided through this website should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease. It is not a substitute for professional care. If you have or suspect you may have a medical or psychological problem, you should consult your appropriate health care provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. Links on this website are provided only as an informational resource, and it should not be implied that we recommend, endorse or approve of any of the content at the linked sites, nor are we responsible for their availability, accuracy, or content.
From chaos, in the midst of fire and the fury of the Earth, the garnet stone emerges. It is the Primordial Fire, borne in the belly of the hottest parts of the planet – volcanoes, lava and magma flows. Its strength has been tested and forged in the midst of the Earth’s natural crucibles of shifting cracks and rifts.
Like a suit of fire, garnet stone is an invaluable stone of protection, burning away any threats that would encroach on one’s personal space. Phantoms of the dark and the nightmares they inspire are extinguished in the brilliance of garnet stone’s banishing flame.
There is a piercing truth to its beauty and its energy that penetrates the root of our being, exposing our most primal desires and satisfying our most basic needs. In the glint of its tantalizing crimson hue is the ancient understanding of what delights our sensual desires and warms our inner flame.
The tendrils of its fervent energy have graced cultures and civilizations since the dawn of the Bronze Age. Small cultures and powerful civilizations alike basked in the warmth of garnet’s glow.
Mystical and ancient cultures like the Sumerians and Egyptians both found it fit to bury their dead with a garnet stone. Perhaps this was in hope that even the cold claws of Death would be gentle on their dearly departed’s souls, as well as to protect them from the unknown apparitions of the Afterlife.
A stone of fire, garnet is January’s birthstone, an adequate companion for the dark and cold of the deepest winter nights. (Not to discount those for whom January is a sultry, summer paradise – our friends in the Southern hemisphere – who can bask in the fire of garnet’s inspiring energy and be invigorated by its passionate force.)
Garnet stone’s energy delicately dances with the Root Chakra, helping to forge our foundation and find stability in the midst of chaos. The stone nourishes the needs of this chakra by offering us a firewall of protection and grounding our spiritual energy in a world that can find benefit from the ancient warmth of its primal flame.
As Persephone departed the Underworld to be freed from Hades’ grasp, the God of the Underworld found a curious way to protect the potential prospect of their reunion – he handed her a handful of pomegranate seeds.
These pomegranate seeds spelled Persephone’s doom – or perhaps her rebirth – and as she consumed them her fate was sealed as Hades’ consort and the Goddess of the Underworld.
Garnet stones resemble the seeds of the pomegranate fruit, and likewise, they share a connection to protective energies. The energy within the garnet stone is projective in nature, and projective stones lend themselves easily to protective purposes.
Wearing or carrying garnet stone acts as a firewall, supercharging the aura with defensive energies and positive vibrations that can help repel and neutralize negative influences before they ever enter your personal space.
Like the light of a candle in the middle of the darkened night, garnet stones have a history of being used to fend off nightmares and negative entities. Place garnet stones around the home to act as a protective shield around your abode, deterring would-be burglars from entering.
If you’ve plans to travel a long distance, tuck some garnet stones in your carry-on bag, purse or pocket for a little extra travel protection.
Garnet stone is a stone of strength and vigor. Wearing garnet stones can invigorate the body, providing a font for vitality and stamina. Keep garnet stone close beside you when partaking in activities that will exert your strength and energy, such as hiking, preparing for a long shift at work, or overnight cramming for an exam.
Allow garnet stone’s fiery energy to reinvigorate your sex life. Garnet stone can excite a low libido and stimulate sexual drive and energy. The stone provides invigorating energy to help balance and level our internal energy system, stimulating desire where it may be lacking.
Forged from fire, it is in garnet stone’s very nature to establish order in the midst of chaos. It is the perfect stone for settling emotional turbulence and unsettling uneasiness within. It is a stabilizing stone, perfect for ordering chaotic thoughts and helping one remain grounded, as well as find their way to a more positive outlook and attitude.
In a crisis, garnet stone can provide a light at the end of the tunnel, especially when it feels like the world is fragmenting around you or when you feel trapped. By the force of garnet’s fervid energy, the survival instinct is awakened, providing a foundation for the courage to arise and hope to provide vision. This can help us transform our crisis into a challenge that we can learn from and overcome.
Garnet stone can provide a boost to our congeniality by helping us harbor a more warm, positive outlook. An upbeat perspective can lead to more confidence in ourselves and the path we have chosen to take in life. With better self-esteem, you’ll find it much easier to make friends and attract the attention and admiration of others.
Use garnet to ground spiritual energy within your body so that you are able to be a conduit for the breath and magic of spiritual energy into the physical plane. The stone resonates strongly with the pituitary gland, known for being connected to our psychic mind and the divinatory realm.
Garnet stone is useful for those looking to uncover the secrets of their past lives. Keep garnet stones near your other crystals to energize them and potentiate their effect. Borrow from the power of garnet stone when needing a little extra energy for magical practice and ritual work.
Garnet is a stone of love. It can be used to mend and soothe a broken heart, as well as open up more opportunities to find love.
Garnet has been credited with rekindling the fires of love in widows and helping them find new relationships. It can help those who have lost their significant other to mend from their sorrow, easing the pain of their deep loss and find their way to wholeness again, making it easier for them to trust their heart to love again.
Garnet stone makes the perfect farewell gift. Traditionally garnet stones were exchanged among friends that share the warmth of their affection for one another and ensure that they would be reunited once again.
Allow garnet stone to light the inner fires of creativity and inspiration. It can light a fire to your passion and drive, making it easier to bring creative projects to fruition. The stone can also illuminate the mind’s awareness and expand our way of thinking, making it easier to access new ideas and creative ways of thought.
Garnet stone had applications in the business arena as well. Bring it with you to the negotiating table to further success in business dealings and ease when forming new business partnerships. Garnet stone can make it easier to implement business goals and see them to completion.
Square-cut garnet stones are especially appropriate for dealing with legal matters. Carry one with you before heading into the courtroom to help ensure a favorable legal outcome.
Within almandine garnet, we see a marriage of earth and fire, as the scarlet red typical of garnet stone interplays with a rustic brown to create a stone that resonates with earthen energies.
Like a suit of armor, almandine garnet acts as a talisman of protection, fortifying the wearer with unbending strength and unshakable resolve. The stone girds the willpower, buttressing our drive and determination, repelling energies that don’t serve our benefit.
Almandine garnet deals with the physical nature of love, such as matters of intimacy, sexual chemistry, and attraction, bounding sensual energies in the corporeal realm.
For psychics, almandine garnet provides a layer of spiritual protection while traversing the psychic realm, as well as provides a shield against supernatural threats.
True to the form of most garnet stones, almandine garnet works in tandem with the Root Chakra, which is the chakra that tends to our basal instincts and fundamental needs.
Almandine garnet helps facilitate the flow of blood throughout the body and can help alleviate many blood-related issues.
The Magic of Andradite Garnet
Just gazing upon the beauty of the andradite garnet primes the mind for thinking of higher things. It is an elevating stone, with the ability to strengthen and empower the mind and soul.
An explosion of warm energies, and andradite garnet is for those dealing with the alienating feelings of isolation and loneliness. It effuses warm, attractable energies, making engagement with others easier and more authentic.
This multi-faceted stone can come in enlivening earthen colors such as olive green and mustard yellow. However even when appearing in the darker colors of the spectrum, such as black, the stone still glows with a life force that hints of its inner magic.
Andradite garnets tightly formed facets remind us that there we are made safe and strengthened by our bonds and connections with others and the world around us. The stone expresses the stabilizing energies of the Root Chakra, the connecting, empathic energies of the Heart Chakra, and the confidence-inspiring energies of the Solar Plexus Chakra.
The Magic of Grossular Garnet
Grossular garnet glows with exuberance and vitality which is evidence of its magical power. It is infused with the energy of Mother Earth, and as such expresses her qualities. Grossular garnet is a hope-giving stone, empowered with deep spiritual energy and the lifeforce of the planet herself.
Grossular garnet is pregnant with mystical energies. They come in shades of colors that are reminiscent of the light that shines just after daybreak: the chartreuse green of illuminated grass, the clear, crisp translucence of morning dew; the pale daffodil yellow of the dawning sky breaking to the morning light.
The stone can be found in other garnet-typical colors such as wine red and scarlet, but the lush green variety of grossular garnet is by far the most popular, which is easy to believe considering its bedazzling glow and inspiring beauty.
This effervescent green mimics the stone’s connection to the Heart Chakra. It resonates with our capacity for compassion and empathy, inspiring us to be humbled by a deep sense of gratitude, and gifts of our service to others.
Grossular garnet vibrates with the Sacral Chakra – the seat of creation; the Solar Plexus Chakra, the chakra wherein the light of our soul resides, and the Root Chakra, the fundamental chakra of stability and inner strength.
It is a stone infused with the abundance of Mother Earth herself, a font through which her blessings of prosperity and well-being can flow through.
The Magic of Pyrope Garnet
We are stunned by the mesmerizing beauty of the pyrope garnet. Often cut with immaculate symmetry, it is looked upon as “living fire,” perhaps because of the evocative beauty of its bold colors, which can range anywhere from glowing mauves and wine purples, to crimson and scarlet shades.
Pyrope garnet inspires us to dare to allow our inner beauty to sparkle and shine through. It is a dazzling stone of vitality, setting our inner charm aglow and on brilliant display for the world to see.
Allow the delicate beauty of pyrope garnet to warm your gentler side and awaken the beauty of your kindness. The stone enables the creative energies within us to coalesce, helping us form and express other beautiful facets of ourselves. We are all beautiful in our own wonderful ways, and pyrope garnet reminds us of this.
Pyrope garnet aligns with the Root Chakra, which is the chakra that knows and understands our foundation and what we need. It also resonates with the Crown Chakra, which is the portal to our ethereal selves and divine beauty. With the two chakras working together to express themselves through this stone, we get a glimpse from head to toe of our magnificent design as a remarkable creation.
The Magic of Spessartine Garnet
One of the rarer varieties of garnet, spessartine garnet glows with the fire of the sun and not surprisingly, spessartine garnet is known as the Garnet of the Sun. In some cuts, it even appears as if radiant solar flares are alive and dancing within the mystical stone.
With colors like crimson fire and vibrant shades of orange, spessartine garnet presents itself as the perfect embodiment of solar energy. It resonates with power that is true to form. If you’re especially lucky, you might find variants of spessartine garnet that are pure yellow with beauty as if looking directly into the light of the sun, but most are a mix of spessartine and almandine garnet.
Spessartine garnet lights the mind’s fire, burning away the phantoms of fear that can get in the way of finding the confidence to make courageous changes in one’s life. It provides the current of energy by which the mind’s analytical processes can best perform.
Spessartine garnet kindles the fires of innovation and creativity within us, as well as emboldens and empowers the will. It is connected to the Sacral Chakra, which is the seat of our creative spirit, and the Solar Plexus Chakra, which is the seat of our soul.
The Magic of Uvarovite Garnet
Showing up in shades of fern and emerald green, uvarovite garnet defies convention. It is the only garnet stone that is exclusively green.
The crystals are drusy in form, meaning they create an almost dust-like covering on any object they happen to grow upon, which oftentimes are other rocks. If you’re not careful you might even mistake them for moss growing on a rock if it weren’t for its distinctive crystalline sparkle.
These glinting, glittering crystals resonate with the Heart Chakra, which is the source of true prosperity and wealth in the form of connection, empathy, and a capacity for compassion.
Allow uvarovite garnet to bring richness and depth to the spiritual connection you share among friends and loved ones, breathing fresh life and understanding into these relationships.
Uvarovite teaches us to love with our hearts open, ready to receive the lessons and blessings that the Universe has in store for us, embracing this whole experience with gratitude and even delight.
Permit the beautiful, soft green of uvarovite garnet to soothe your soul. Its calming energies engender peach and serenity in those who have the rare chance to behold it.
The Healing Power of Garnet Stone
The key to garnet’s healing power is its ability to invigorate the body down to the cellular level. As suggested by its sanguine color, garnet helps to regulate the heart’s rhythms and blood flow throughout the body. It’s important to note that while Garnet stone can help steady the heart’s natural cadence, its aggressive energy can actually aggravate arterial heart conditions, so be careful in this regard.
Garnet’s fiery energy invigorates and revitalizes the body, boosting its ability to heal and regenerate. Its energy can help cleanse skin conditions, like acne. It is believed to have the power to purify the body of its toxins.
Garnet is used in helping fortify the spine, ridding it of painful disorders and discomforts. Its energy delves deep into the blood cells, purifying the blood, renewing the heart and lungs, and regenerating damaged DNA.
Garnet’s power over the blood extends to the ability to heal wounds, as garnet stones have historically been placed inside of wounds to encourage clotting.
Use garnet stone to ignite and quicken the metabolism. It can also help benefit nutritionally, but guiding the assimilation of important vitamins and minerals into the body, such as iodine, calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D and E. Garnet can also help soothe inflammation and ease rheumatic and arthritic pain.
Allow garnet’s warm glow to disperse away depressive feelings and states of mind. Its clarifying and purifying energy can help those plagued by psychological illness. Nightmares and terrifying dreams have a hard time withstanding the light of garnet’s fire.
Garnet is a balancing and steadying stone, helping our stability take root to prevent fears and insecurities from taking hold. Money and the loss of it can be a universal fear that many have experienced, and garnet can help dispel the stranglehold this fear can have on us.
In a crisis, garnet stone can provide a light at the end of the tunnel, especially when it feels like the world is fragmenting around you or when you feel trapped. By the force of garnet’s fervid energy, the survival instinct is awakened, providing a foundation for the courage to arise and hope to provide vision. This can help us transform our crisis into a challenge that we can learn from and overcome.
Use garnet stone to excite a low libido and stimulate sexual drive and energy. The stone provides invigorating energy to help balance and level our internal energy system, stimulating desire where it may be lacking and encouraging a positive outlook and attitude. As a byproduct, a more positive outlook can lead to more confidence in one’s self and one’s path, and thus one’s self-esteem.
Perhaps you are interested in increasing your popularity and raising your likability factor. Consider garnet stone, as its ability to provide a healthy boost to self-esteem and confidence can translate into having more ease making friends and attracting the attention of others.
Garnet Stone and the Chakras
Garnet stone’s energy resonates with the Root Chakra. The Root Chakra stabilizes our energies and is the foundation for all other chakras. Our natural internal instincts and survival instincts are represented by the Root Chakra, and our primal ambitions – sex, comfort, safety, and security – are represented by this chakra.
Garnet stone cleanses the chakras, purifying any diseased energy and returning them back to their natural state. It helps maintain a healthy balance between the energies expressed within the chakra, making sure passions do not run amok and peace doesn’t lapse into complacence, and refreshes and revitalizes these centers of power.
Garnet stone warms the heart, inspiring the flow of our capacity to love and our ability to trust and remain loyal. It allows to emotional state to maintain a steady balance and tantalizes our sensual and sexual desires. The kundalini, that great font of primal forces and spiritual energy, is stimulated and arises, thanks to the help of garnet stone’s energies.
From the Root to the Crown, garnet stone creates a channel of light by which all the chakral energies can flow and maintain homeostasis throughout the body, as it tempers and balances chakral energy.
Garnet Stone Interesting Facts
Garnet’s name has its origins in the Middle English word gernet, which translates to “dark red.” Its name is a derivative of the Latin word granatus, which means “grain, seed,” as its deep, ruby red hue resembles pomegranate seeds.
Garnet is January’s birthstone.
Garnet stone is a suitable gift for the second, sixth, and 19th anniversaries.
Garnet is a form of silicate, and silicates make up over 90% of the Earth’s crust.
While typically known as a red stone, garnet stone can be found in every color of the rainbow, as well as black, pink, and colorless.
Garnet is quite the study stone, registering at 6.5 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale.
Garnet stone has a unique quality, in that, unlike most naturally translucent gemstones, it can be picked up when using a very strong magnet.
There are seven different species of garnet, and while they all possess similar physical properties, they differ in chemical composition. They are pyrope, almandine, spessartine, grossular, uvarovite, knorringite and andradite.
Red garnets were quite popular in the Late Antique Roman world, so much so that they were the most popular gemstone during that time.
Garnet cloisonné is a beautiful artisan technique in which garnet is inlayed within metalwork.
Several states use the garnet stone as a state symbol. Garnet is the state mineral of Connecticut, wine red garnet is
Garnet is New York’s state gemstone, and, Idaho, boasts star garnet as its state gemstone.
A testament to its strength, garnet sand is often used as an effective abrasive and is sometimes used in place of silica sand in sandblasting and water jets to cut steel. Cabinet makers and woodworkers as well enjoy using garnet sand to finish bare wood.
The beach sands along with the Indian and Australian glow in a beautiful red hue because they are rich in garnet.
Being a protective stone, in the thirteenth century, it was a common practice to wear garnet to repel insects.
You can find garnet stones in sizes as large as an apple and even as small as a grain of sand.
The Barton Mines, located in the Adirondack Mountains in New York, is the world’s largest garnet mine.
How to Cleanse and Charge Your Garnet Stone
There are multiple ways to cleanse your garnet stone. Allowing the method you choose to be a matter of preference and convenience is completely fine; however, the garnet stone being born of fire might respond the best to being cleansed and energized by fire.
You’ll want to practice uttermost caution when working with flame not to burn yourself. With that being said, you can place the garnet stone near a source of flames, such as near your fireplace or a bonfire to both simultaneously cleanse and charge your garnet stone.
Keep the stone there no more than 20-30 minutes for your safety, and use a non-flammable item to pull it away from the fire and allow it to cool before handling it.
Smudge cleansing is also an acceptable way to cleanse garnet stones. To cleanse your garnet stone in this manner, burn a smudge or incense stick and hold the garnet stone in the wafting smoke, allowing it to whisk away the stored energies.
You only need to expose the stone to the smoke for about 20-30 seconds for the magic to take effect. For an added extra touch, you can use a feather to fan the smoke over the garnet stone.
There are certain incenses that are perfect for this task, such as sage, sweetgrass, sandalwood and cedarwood. These incenses, when burned, are quite effective in removing unwanted energies.
While not every stone is suitable to be charged in the Sun’s rays, garnet – born of fire – is perfectly suited to withstand the Sun’s light. An hour or two is recommended, but if you happen to leave it a little longer do not be dismayed.
Be very careful when picking the stone up afterward because it may be hot! Try to time the charging of your garnet stone with the soft light of sunrise or the easing light of sunset.
You can use your incredible power of visualization to clear your garnet stone as well. While holding your garnet stone (either hand is fine, but some are more comfortable using their recessive hand to generate the energy and their dominant hand to receive it), picture a glowing white light forming just behind your Third Eye.
Visualize this light traveling from your Third Eye towards the base of your neck, then down the arm which is holding the garnet stone. Place your other hand over the garnet stone, palm down, and picture the white light traveling through the garnet stone, cleansing it as it passes through, and being captured by your other outstretched palm.
Picture this light now traveling up your receiving arm and returning up to the ball of light behind your Third Eye, then release the light through the Crown, as you don’t want to hold on to this energy.
The Magical History of Garnet Stone
Garnet’s fiery energy has set ablaze the wonder and intrigue of civilizations and cultures from as far back as the Bronze Age, as evidence of garnet jewelry dating back to the Bronze Age was found in graves in former Czechoslovakia.
In Czechoslovakia, they were referred to as Bohemian garnets, or Prague garnets, as Bohemian garnet deposits were the hub of the jewelry industry in the region up until the late 1800s.
Bohemia is known for its deep, red pyrope garnet gemstones. A characteristic of Czech garnet jewelry is that small garnet stones are usually packed together to cover a piece in a stunning display.
The mining of these beautiful blood-red stones became a fascination for prospectors all over the world, as many flocked from Venice and Italy for the chance to procure this alluring Czech garnet.
The mining of Bohemian garnets became quite an industry, as the emperor granted permission for gem cutters to extract and export the stone in 1598. Emperor Rudolf II furthered the establishment of garnet mining by ordering the institution of an Imperial Mill in Prague strictly for the cutting and drilling of crude, raw garnet stone.
However, the exploitation of garnet stone by prospectors from around the world soon came to be a problem, so much so that during the reign of Empress Maria Theresa, it was decreed that the right to cut and drill Bohemian garnets would be exclusively provided to the people of Bohemia, and remained this way until the 19th century.
To this day, Prague continues to be an attraction for tourists looking to procure beautiful Czech garnets, and the streets of Prague have an abundance of Czech garnet shops.
However, where there is opportunity there can also be traps, as there is a prevalence of garnet sellers in Prague’s main shopping district that sell fake garnet gemstones. This has become such a problem that tourist literature will often warn you of ways to avoid being shortchanged by fake garnet stone sellers.
The Egyptians prized the fiery glow of the garnet stone. As far back as 5,000 years ago, Egyptian pharaohs would proudly wear necklaces laden in red garnet, and garnet decorated their mummified corpses – a prized possession they could take with them into the afterlife.
Garnet has been used in jewelry well into antiquity. Sumerian jewelry decorated with garnet has been discovered that dates back to 2100 B.C., and in Sweden garnet jewelry has also been found dating back from 1000 to 200 B.C.
Celtic High Priests would inlay garnet stones into their breastplates for protection, and garnet was inserted into Celtic jewelry as well. In Africa, the garnet stone was sacred to tribal elders.
The Ancient Greeks and Romans were also very fond of the garnet stone. To seal the Ancient Romans’ most important documents, they would stamp the wax with signet rings with a carved garnet stone. During the Roman scholar Pliny’s time (23 to 79 AD), red garnet stones enjoyed a heyday among the most widely traded gems in the region.
Garnet’s magical history can be traced through the biblical record and the influence of Christianity. Surprisingly enough, it seems the Bible references garnet stone at least four times, although it is referred to as carbuncle.
Throughout history, carbuncle is typically used to describe red garnet, but it also has been used to describe a myriad of other red stones. According to tradition, it is said that carbuncle was one of the four precious stones gifted to King Solomon by God.
It was a large garnet stone’s fiery inner glow that provided light to Noah’s Ark, according to the Talmud. Garnet is also one of the 12 stones in the Breastplate of the High Priest, representing the tribe of Judah. Garnet has a history of being referred to as the Warrior’s stone, as evidenced by the Crusades, where Christian crusaders wore garnet stone as a protective talisman, as did their Muslim enemies.
In Europe during the Middle Ages (circa 475 to 1450 AD), garnet was used to fortify one’s strength, give clarity to the truth, steel one’s loyalty and singe away the fog of melancholy. Garnet stones embellished the adornments of religious clergy and distinguished noblemen, and lion figurines carved from garnet stone would be carried while traveling for ferocious protection from illness.
On the North American continent, garnet held special significance as a sacred stone, Native and South American Indians, the Aztecs and the Mayans all revered the stone. Native American healers trusted in garnet’s ability to guard the body against being wounded, repel the potential for poisoning, prevent nightmares and alleviate depression.
Yet again in history, we see another instance of garnet stone being trusted in battle, as Asiatic tribes used arrows fashioned from garnet stone for their bows, believing that garnet stone’s blood-red color was proof of its ability to inflict a deadly wound. Eventually, they upgraded to garnet bullets.
The most notable instance of this is the Hanza tribe, which in 1892 gunfire in the form of garnet bullets against their British adversaries at the Kashmir frontier.
The Crystal Forge: How Garnet is Formed
Deep within the Earth’s hottest places, in areas where molten and basaltic lava flows like rivers of fire incinerating and transforming the landscape upon which it traverses, and where subsurface magma chambers erupt with immense heat and tempestuous ferocity, the magic is forming.
Garnet is the product of intense pressure and heat. Deep source volcanic eruptions often create the conditions that are just right for this stone forged from force and fire to emerge.
Most garnet is the product of converging plates of rocks with a high aluminum content, such as shale, merging together with such intensity that they create something of such startling power and brilliant form.
The sheer heat and intensity of such an awesome geological event are enough to break chemical bonds and cause minerals to change their crystalline structures in such a way to adapt to this fierce and powerful environment.
As the rocks are transformed by the violently shifting and forcefully changing environment, tiny grains of garnet begin to form and grow in defiance of their challenging environment. The rocks and minerals nearby the emerging garnet stones must make way, or be included within its impenetrable form.
Garnet can also be found freed from sedimentary rocks that have eroded and weathered over time. There are oftentimes you will discover garnet woven together within the matrix of igneous rocks such as granite. You can find evidence of this in granite countertops, which often contain traces of dark red granite stone.
Garnet Frequently Asked Questions
What is the use of garnet?
Garnet carries within it energies that can revitalize the body and boost regeneration.* It is a stabilizing gem that can bring order to chaos and settle uneasiness within.
What is the meaning of garnet birthstone?
Garnet is the birthstone of January and is believed to protect the wearer during travel.
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