What is Jasper?

Jasper is an opaque type of chalcedony stone that features a fine grain and is commonly used in jewelry. While the stone is most commonly found in a dark red or brown, jasper can vary broadly in color depending on various mineral deposit inclusions. Jasper is fairly inexpensive, and is commonly used for the use of necklace beads and pendants. Learn about the history of jasper, as well as the stone's purported mystical properties.

History of Jasper

Jasper is found throughout the world, but is perhaps most associated with the United States. In many Native American cultures, jasper played an important part in rainmaking ceremonies. For this reason, Jasper was once called the great rain-bringer. Black jasper also has a long history as a touchstone for determining the level of gold content in alloys. By rubbing the alloy against a piece of jasper, the color of the resulting streak could be used to determine the amount of gold content. In the 16th century, jasper was a primary material for creating mosaics in Florence.

Types of Jasper

There are a wide variety of jasper types. Some of these are named for their coloring, while others are categorized based on their place of origin. For example, Brown Egyptian jasper comes from Egypt and Red African jasper comes from Africa. Whatever the classification, the color range for each type of jasper is typically hinted at within the title. An example is Bruneau Jasper, which can be translated as canyon jasper. This is reference to canyons is due to the light to dark brown color that this type of jasper possesses.

Common types of jasper include red jasper, rainforest jasper, leopard skin jasper and poppy jasper. Ocean jasper – or blue jasper – is a fairly rare form of the stone that typically comes with higher prices.

Traditions and Believed Healing Properties of Jasper

Jasper is a birthstone for the month of October. It is also a planetary stone for the Aries zodiac and a birthstone for Virgos. Jasper has a long history of folklore and is believed to carry a number of mystical properties. It is said that jasper can help repel evil spirits, as well as venomous creatures such as snakes. In the past, warriors used to wear jasper into battle because it was believed to increase courage and boost strength.

In terms of internal health, jasper is said to help the wearer relax and find inner peace. It also has a history of being used to treat stomach ailments, as well as issues with the gallbladder and liver. Jasper is also believed to balance the mind, body and spirit.