Collection: Carnelian

Carnelian belongs to the microcrystalline quartz family. It is a red variety of chalcedony. It owes its beautiful color to inclusions of hematite, a natural iron oxide. The intensity of its color, red to orange, is linked to its iron concentration.

It is also composed of aluminum oxide and silica. This red quartz comes from low temperature volcanic rocks. The vermilion red color is the most popular, so it is often obtained by heating the stone or exposing it to the sun for a long time.

Carnelian is very translucent, even opaque, and its pleochroism is low (ability to see light pass through the stone and show various colors). It has a hardness of between 6 and 7 on the Mohs scale.

Several hypotheses are put forward concerning the etymology of carnelian. Some suppose that this name comes from the dogwood, a shrub growing in the eastern Mediterranean countries. It produces a fruit with a beautiful red color relatively identical to that of carnelian. The origin of the name cornouille comes from the Latin “corneolus”.

Others claim that the name comes from the Latin “carne” meaning meat. But in both cases, carnelian gets its name because of its beautiful orange-red color. From the 16th century, the stone was definitively named “carnelian”.

Carnelian has been used for millennia. At the beginning of the 20th century, Leonard Woolley, a British archaeologist, discovered the tomb of Puabi during his excavations. He is a personality of great importance from the Sumerian city of Ur during the First Dynasty of Uruk between 2750 and 2550 BC. She is covered with magnificent necklaces and a headdress of gold, including carnelians and lapis lazuli. The latter is exhibited in Pennsylvania at the Museum of Archeology. In the neighboring tomb, the standard of Ur was discovered in the form of a small ivory chest decorated with red Indian carnelian. This small chest reveals the history of this civilization. It is, for its part, exhibited at the British Museum in London.

Also around 2,700 BC, this orange stone appeared in ancient Egypt. It was given as an offering to Isis, mythical queen and funerary goddess, in order to accompany the dead on their journey to the afterlife. Carnelian also served as a stone of magnificence and ornament, for protection. It is identified on the headdresses of the pharaohs and on numerous talismans. Furthermore, this orange-red colored stone, associated with the colors of the sun, spiritually represents the Sun god. It was also found on paintings or used as natural medicine.

Unlike the Egyptians, the Greeks and Romans used this stone only for the manufacture of jewelry and seals and did not attribute any curative power to it. Gods and symbols of luck were carved into the red stone. Pliny the Elder, a Roman naturalist from the 1st century AD, described it in his Natural History encyclopedia. He even distinguishes between the male stones, which are very red, and the female stones, which are more orange-yellow.

In the Middle Ages, carnelian was given healing powers. At that time, battles raged, carnelian was supposed to give courage to warriors and protect them from bleeding.

In China, the Chinese accentuate the red color of carnelian by including copper oxide, then use it to glaze their fine porcelain. Carnelian was crushed and transformed into pigment for decorating art objects.

In France, during the Renaissance, carnelian was a stone that attracted many artists. Then from the 17th century, Dutch maritime trade brought back a large number of carnelians coming straight from the Orient. Little by little, they spread into the manufacture of jewelry, ornamental objects and goldsmithing. This trade makes them lose their rarity and causes a drop in prices.

The main deposits are located in Brazil, Madagascar, Botswana, etc.

In Litrhotherapy, carnelian is a stone of serenity and calming. It has the ability to strengthen self-confidence and promotes spontaneity. It develops the joy of living and encourages you to enjoy every moment.

Associated with recklessness since Antiquity, this stone restores energy, vitality, courage and regulates excessive egos. It facilitates public speaking and provides beautiful eloquence. It breeds confidence, but not complacency.

Carnelian encourages the fight against states of intense sadness. In addition, it calms anger, jealousy, and resentment. It allows us to overcome certain traumas linked to the past and becomes a stone of resilience.

In people who are too sensitive, this stone can make them stronger, give them more confidence and help them assert themselves. It provides creativity and promotes concentration by channeling overly agitated thoughts.

It is a stone known to bring joy of life, good humor, happiness and enthusiasm. Its vibrant color radiates well-being which allows you to manage complicated situations gently. Unlike most red stones, carnelian regulates excess energy instead of increasing it.

A true lucky charm, carnelian diffuses its protection throughout the home and promotes relationships by maintaining a soft and serene atmosphere. It encourages understanding between people.