GEMSTONE OF THE MONTH - BLOODSTONE

Legend dictates that the origin of the bloodstone began at the time of Christ's crucifixion.

It is believed that as He hung on the cross green jasper stones, piled at the cross' base, absorbed the drops of the Christ's blood causing fixed red dots to appear.

For this reason, the gemstone is also known as the Martyr's Stone. Due to this association to the Christ, early Christians carved scenes of the crucifixion into the glistening green and red stones.

The ancient Greeks compared the gem's color to the illusion of the sun setting in the ocean. The Greeks subsequently named the gem heliotrope, which means Stone of the Sun, and this name is still used today.

The bloodstone, a highly durable cryptocrystalline quartz, ranges in color that includes light to deep to very dark shades of green. Iron oxides are the components that produce the stone's distinctive red spots. The highest quality bloodstones are those with a great luster.

For countless centuries, into the present day, the bloodstone is revered for its myriad of healing properties, and protective energy. Used as a protective talisman to deflect the effects of the envious gazes, the stone is also used to soothe colds, the flu, allergies, and for cleansing the blood.

It is also believed to promote such attributes as clarity of thought, solid judgment, honesty, courage, and balance emotions. Although primarily mined in India, the gemstone is also found in the United States, Australia, China, and Brazil.

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Photo: Bloodstone