All about agate stone

Agate is a unique creation of nature. In its natural environment, in appearance, it is indistinguishable from pebbles, but when cut, the amazing unearthly beauty of the stone opens up. Mysterious drawings of a gem have attracted people at all times. "Stone of Kindness" - so the ancients christened him. What is a mineral, what are its medicinal and magical properties, to whom and how it can be useful - we will tell you in our article.

There are two versions of the origin of the name of the gem. According to one version, it is consonant with the name of the Achates River, flowing in Sicily, where, according to legend, the stone was found for the first time. According to the second, it comes from the Greek word "agates", which means "happy, kind".

The unusual fabulous appearance of the stone has given rise to many legends about its origin. Some peoples found a fair eye in the face of the mineral, which fell into the bowels of the earth and watched from the depths for the order and observance of heavenly laws by people. Others saw in him the remains of a majestic eagle who lost his life in the defense of universal good.

Since ancient times, people have recognized the magical properties of the mineral and used it to improve their lives. To please the goddess of gardening, Pomona, small pebbles were buried in the ground along with the plant's seedling. They tied them to the horns of livestock to increase the offspring.Agate was attached to the eye sockets of the statues of the gods - the ancients believed that such eyes scared away evil forces. The mineral helped in the treatment of victims of the bites of poisonous snakes, scorpions, spiders.

The variety of colors and patterns has attracted and inspires stonemakers for more than one millennium to create skillful products from a gem.

Ancient craftsmen carved convex or bas-relief designs from rounded and oval stones. The jewelry was called "gems". They depicted gods, revered citizens, heroes, military leaders, philosophers and whole scenes from their lives. Such crafts gained immense popularity in Ancient Greece in 4 BC. NS. and in Ancient Rome. They were set in precious frames, worn as medallions, fasteners on clothes, and used to decorate seals.

In the 3rd century BC. NS. famous palaces of Sicily were decorated with stone products. In Vienna, you can see one of the largest products made of solid stone. This dish, 75 cm in diameter, was made by German craftsmen of the 4th century AD. NS.

In the XI-XIII centuries, cameo gems returned to fashion thanks to the talent of D. Pisano and the Vittorio brothers, who created exclusive works of art from the miracle stone. Catherine II was seriously carried away by crafts from agate. Buying up original gems-cameos in Europe, she has collected a unique collection of exquisite gizmos. Napoleon and Pushkin were noticed in love for the gem.

The great brand of the Russian Empire - the Faberge jewelry company also did not disregard the mineral, creating more than one masterpiece of jewelry art from it. Among them are figurines of animals and birds, Easter eggs. Agate products are kept in the treasuries of famous museums around the world, including the Hermitage and the Kremlin Armory.

In the modern world, agate is a popular jewelry raw material. The natural pattern of the mineral makes each piece unique.

Less transparent, hazy agate is used as an ornamental stone. Countertops, caskets, vases, desk writing utensils, decorative panels, candlesticks, figurines, and dishes are in demand as objects made of ornamental stone.

In the world of minerals, agate belongs to the quartz family and is a quartzite chalcedony. According to its chemical properties, it is an oxide with the formula SiO2.

Its physical characteristics have the following parameters.

• Colour. The agate color palette is as diverse as nature itself. Usually the mineral has multi-colored striped interlayers, but some varieties are distinguished by their original pattern: dots, specks, “eyes”.
• Hardness - 7 units
• Density - 2.6 gr. per cubic meter cm.
• Shine - matte.
• Transparency - from opaque to transparent.

Let's name the most famous and popular varieties.

• Terry. His homeland is India, Africa or Russia. It contains iron and magnesium impurities in its chemical composition. The color of the stone can be any. A distinctive feature is the pattern: it resembles moss, algae, forest thickets and is made by nature in green, gray or black colors. Especially appreciated in the East.

• Dendritic... Inclusions and streaks on such specimens look like tree branches.

• Serf or bastion. The angular shape of the drawing, sharp lines, bends, stripes are arranged in such a way that they resemble images of maps, fortresses, fortifications, bastions.

• Star-shaped. On the southwest coast of England, in the county of Wessex, a gem of the world's rarest texture is born, in which agate has replaced coral. He has a pale brown color with a beautiful pattern in the form of stars, white as chalk.

• Landscape. One of the most beautiful agates. It bizarrely combines many shades, blotches, layers that create realistic images of nature.

• Frosty... The pattern on the white-gray stone resembles ice patterns on the windows.

• Brazilian. Native to Latin America, it is blue-gray and famous for its almond shape and small size up to 10 cm wide.

• Timansky... Our compatriot from the Komi Republic, on the contrary, has a large size (about 20 cm) and a variety of shapes: pear-shaped, cone-shaped and round. An unusual pattern on a cut of a blue-white, sometimes with a lilac gleam, a stone resembles another attraction of this area - the northern lights.

• Iridescent or iridescent... Has a unique effect - shimmers and shimmers from color to color when exposed to light.

• "Owl's eye" or eyeglass agate. In these most beautiful samples, by the will of nature, the layers are folded into a circle in such a way that they resemble a drawing in the shape of an eye.

• Agat Dzi. A gem with an unusual history. In translation "dzi" means "shine, shine". Stone is mined in the Himalayan mountains. Beads, sacred for Buddhists of Tibet, are made of it. Each bead is engraved and a special pattern is applied. Beads have the status of an amulet and represent an important part of Tibetan culture.

• Botswana. The striped patterned agate is named after the place of its large deposit. Combines many colors and shades: pink, white, blue, brown.

• Dragon Veins, African or Crackle. This is a kind of agate processing. In the process of strong heating, and then sharp cooling, the pattern develops in the form of cracks hidden under the surface of the stone, and outwardly looks like the scaly skin of mythological reptiles. African agate has dark cracks on a light background, and vice versa - crackle or "Veins of the Dragon".

• Pink... It is considered one of the rare species. Impurities of manganese and a high percentage of iron hydroxide give the stone a mirror-like shine and beautiful colors: from pale pink to reddish, sometimes with a lilac or purple hue.

• Fiery. Found in Mexico and Arizona. Possesses a large number of multi-colored stripes of all colors of the rainbow, replacing each other. Red blotches of goethite gave the stone the effect of a flame blazing from within. Bubbles of various shapes and sizes add overflow, shine and depth to the inner "fire". Due to its fragility and difficulty in processing, this stone is a rare guest of the jewelry counter.

• Madagascar... It was found on an African island quite recently, in 2003. The semi-transparent stone with a wavy structure has a sea-green color on a fine day with shades of green, blue, purple, orange, golden, pink.

• Tortoiseshell... At its core, the mineral is gray-brown in color. Interspersed with various chemical elements create spots of brown and swampy color, like on the shell of a turtle.

• Blue lace... A stone with the finest openwork stripes of white and blue.

• Lactic. A variety of white agate with a soft milky white color, with alternating transparent and translucent layers.

• Geode... It is born in a round shape, figuratively speaking, like the planet Earth. There are ovoid specimens. The color palette of agate geode is very diverse, there may be impurities of other minerals, for example, amethyst and colorless quartz.

Agate is a common mineral. It can be found almost anywhere in the world. In nature, it is found in the form of crystals grown together - druses, in small crystals - with a brush.

Since the 18th century and for a long time, Germany has been the main supplier of agate in the world. Now the mineral is being successfully mined in large volumes in Uruguay, Brazil (state of Minas Gerais, state of Rio Grande do Sul).

India, Mexico, Mongolia, China, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Madagascar, Turkmenistan, Scotland have stone reserves.

The healing properties of agate have been known since antiquity. Even during the period of popularity of gem-cameos, various symbols of diseases were depicted on them and were used as a talisman against illness. Experts advise wearing mineral products in the area of ​​the body where there is a health disorder:

• with diseases of the respiratory tract: cough, bronchitis, asthma, agate beads or a brooch will help to cope;
• earrings with a stone are effective for problems with teeth and oral cavity;
• for nervous disorders, panic attacks, fears, phobias, lithotherapists recommend wearing a ring with agate on the middle finger of the right hand.

The healing properties of agate also depend on the color of the mineral:

• blue stones are effective in violation of the thyroid gland;
• yellow - with diseases of the liver and organs of the gastrointestinal tract;
• Red the mineral will become a barrier against bacteria and viruses, will put in order the work of the heart and blood vessels;
• pink agate solves problems with male potency, removing excess fluid from the body with excess weight;
• stone of brown, swampy shades able to heal diseases of the brain, improve blood circulation.

Nature has endowed the gem with the most powerful energy and magical magical properties. The stone is able to return the dreamed dreamer to reality, encourage him to new achievements, make a fateful decision and begin to act in the chosen direction. It will help the prodigal to avoid unnecessary purchases and expenses. The vulnerable will be protected from energy vampirism. In strong-minded people, he will develop the gift of foresight.

• White agate - a stone for mothers and babies. Protects them from the evil eye, improves lactation. The Indian sages believed that agate was able to calm the baby and help him get back on his feet earlier.
• Gray the stone helps to establish relationships, safely resolve conflict situations, reconciles people with each other, bestowing warm, kind thoughts.
• Blue the gem favors creative people who are accustomed to actively acting, gives them inspiration and strength to implement their plans.
• Yellow the stone relieves depression, gives optimism, contributes to the formation of a joyful and easy perception of the world. An excellent mascot for traders, businessmen.
• Pink - reveals the ability to see the beauty of the surrounding world, increases sexuality and attractiveness in the opposite sex.
• Red samples are intended to protect the bond of love.
• Green the stone protects the warmth of the hearth, family and friendships. For these purposes, in the past centuries, such a pebble was buried in front of the entrance to the house.
• Black agate has the greatest magical power. This mineral is capable of healing mental pain, protecting against destructive energy-informational influences. It helps a person in difficult times to gather strength, concentrate and make the right decision. Able to improve the health of the gastrointestinal tract, stop nausea.

Agate is the perfect talisman for Taurus. The gem will induce this representative of the elements of the Earth to take action, add agility, teach patience and relieve irritability.And as a result, he will lead his pet to the achievement of financial goals and material well-being, which Taurus values ​​so much.

The stone will be useful for Gemini too... It will help ambivalent and fickle natures to make informed decisions based on reason. Suspicious, fearful, not too confident in their abilities Cancer agate will lead to a happy life. Strengthens self-esteem, makes fragile nature resistant to external influences and allows creativity to flourish in full force.

Virgo agate can help during the search for a soul mate. Capricorns and Scorpions will make them more welcoming, benevolent.

It is best to keep agate away from the bathroom and all kinds of chemicals. He is able to burn out, therefore should be protected from exposure to sunlight, as well as sudden changes in temperature.

Washable with a brush in a mild soapy solution. Store in a soft cloth bag or closed box.

Alas, on the market you can find fake stones made of plastic and glass, passed off as agates. The following criteria will help to distinguish natural stone from imitation or fake.

• Contrasting stripes, sharp transitions, bright pure colors without inclusions, a solid color without lines should immediately alert. These are signs of a fake stone.
• Agate heats up for a long time. A suspicious specimen can be tested by placing it on the bend of the elbow or wrist for a while. If the stone is natural, then the coolness will be felt for at least 30 seconds. The artificial specimen will heat up immediately.
• Agate is a hard, durable stone that can scratch glass. His pseudo-brothers made of pressed crumbs are fragile, and when you try to push with a sharp needle, pieces will begin to fall off them.
• Natural mineral does not dissolve in water and is not attacked by many acids. Submerge the stone in water for several hours. If the liquid is colored or cloudy, then this is a fake.
• Pay attention to the price. The cost of stones with an original pattern is comparable to the cost of amber and turquoise.

These products are created by masters of the past centuries. Both the beauty of the stone and the skill of the artists are striking.

• Rubens vase of yellow agate depicting grapes and satyrs, created by an unknown master of the 4th century BC. NS. For some time it belonged to a famous artist, hence the name.

• A necklace made of eye agate from Bactria is about 4 thousand years old.

• The kiwi figurine is the work of the craftsmen of the Faberge jewelry company at the beginning of the 20th century.

• Works of the modern stone-cutter Felix Ibragimov from landscape agate.

• Cameo is an exquisite piece of jewelry. Vintage pendant in red gold and agate.

• Pendant in peach agate.

• Rosary from pink agate.

• Fire agate ring.

• Necklace with agate geode.

See the video below for more details on agate.