Stones and shells used in Native American Indian Jewelry

STONES and SHELLS
USED IN NATIVE AMERICAN INDIAN JEWELRY

Agate
Agate is a form of chalcedony that is translucent to semitransparent. Held up to a light source agate will appear foggy or show a small amount of light passing through the edges. Agate generally but not always contains bands of various colors.

Agate and banded onyx are both varieties of layered chalcedony that differ only in the form of the bands: agate has curved bands whereas onyx has parallel bands. The colors of bands range from white to almost every color.

Alabaster
A dense, fine-grained variety of gypsum (calcium sulfate) that is sometimes transluscent, streaked or mottled and often resembles white marble and onyx. It is also called Mexican onyx, Algerian onyx, Gibraltar stone and oriental alabaster, depending on where it was mined. It has historically been quarried in England, Italy, Algeria, Egypt, Iran, and Mexico. In the United States there are important sources in Colorado, Utah and Arizona.

Salmon Alabaster, or Translucent Orange Alabaster
A striking color is semi-translucent to opaque salmon orange.

Amber
Fossilized tree sap. Although amber is not a mineral, it is classified as a gemstone. Most of the world's amber is 30-90 million years old. It can contain insects, small vertebrates and other particulate matter. Amber is commonly a clear tan color, but it may have greenish to goldish inclusions.

Amethyst
Amethyst is the most highly prized purple variety of quartz and is the official birthstone for February. The name comes from the Greek word amethystos, meaning "not drunken," because in ancient Greece amethyst was believed to protect the wearer from drunkenness. With this in mind, wine goblets were often carved from it! Amethysts can fade in sunlight, so minimize direct exposure to help maintain the rich purple color.

Ammonite (Ammolite)
Ammonite is an extinct group of cephalopods, or squid-like creatures that thrived in tropical seas until becoming extinct along with the dinosaurs at the end of the Mesozoic era. The fossilized shells resemble tightly-coiled rams' horns and the fossil was named after the Egyptian god Ammon who was often depicted wearing ram's horns.

Ammonite is one of only a few biogenic gemstones (those produced by the life processes of plants or animals); others include amber and pearl. While the vast majority of fossilized ammonite found around the world are found in neutral colors ranging from cream to gray to black, those fossils found at the Korite mine in Alberta, Canada have an outer shell that’s irridescent or opalized. Korite markets these gems under the trade name ammolite. Commercial mining of ammolite began in 1981 and that same year it was given official gemstone status by the World Jewellery Confederation (CIBJO).

Feng shui practitioners feel that ammolite promotes the flow of chi throughout the body, enhances well-being, and reduces toxins. It is known as the “seven-color prosperity stone" because it can exhibit up to seven colors, each said to bring a certain benefit, such as wealth, wisdom, health, growth, or energy.

Angelite
Angelite (so named for its angelic appearance) is a trade name for blue or lilac colored anyhdrite - a calcium sulfate mineral related to gypsum. Angelite is very soft, which makes it easy to carve but generally unsuitable for use in jewelry although it is sometimes used for beads.

Antler
Antler is a hornlike, bony growth, usually branched, that grows in pairs on the head of a deer, moose, elk, caribou, or other members of the deer family. Because of its rich brown colors and ease of carving, antler is a preferred medium of many carvers. Antlers occur on the heads of male deer and on some related species of either sex. Antlers are a renewable resource, as they are shed each year and grow more branches each season as the animal ages.

Apache Tears - Apache Tears are a type of Obsidian that is often translucent when held up to the light. They are formed when hot lava shoots into the air and quickly solidified before hitting the ground. Apache Tears have many of the same healing qualities as regular black obsidian. Obsidian is a grounding and protective stone. It is used to clear away negative energies, helping to remove not only negativity experienced in the environment, but also that of one's own emotions, such as anger, jealousy, greed, and resentment. Obsidian is also used to free energy blockages and relieve stress by bringing opportunities for positive change into a person's awareness.

Augite (Spotted Serpentine)
Augite is the most common mineral in the pyroxene family. Because of the many variations in its chemical structure it is really more of a group then a single mineral, but it is still classified a single mineral. The name augite comes from from the Greek word auge, meaning "shine" or "luster. However, only some augites look shiny, most specimans have a dull appearance. It varies from translucent to opaque. Its color includes combinations of black, green, brown, purple with streaks and spots of greenish gray and light to dark brown. Augite is common throughout the world including the American Southwest. It is said to bring out your intuition, tenderness, gentleness and love. It helps you exercise self-control and understand your chosen destiny. It stimulates creativity and success.

Aventurine (Indian Jade, Sunstone)
Aventurine is a form of opaque or semitranslucent chalcedony (quartz) that contains small flecks of various materials such as mica, copper and iron. Aventurine comes in many colors: pink , red-brown, yellow, gray, and green. It is a power stone that is excellent for attracting abundance and wealth. It is known as the the stone of opportunity, chance or luck.

Azurmalachite
Azurmalachite, also known as bluebird, is composed of two copper carbonate minerals, azurite and malachite. Azurite and malachite have spectacular green and blue colors that are seen in very few other minerals. Azurmalachite displays a mix of greens and blues in bands, concentric patterns, and irregular mottling, and sometimes occurring with other minerals to produce a mottled effect.There are no mines solely for azurmalachite, it is a byproduct of other mining activities mainly copper. Much of the azurmalachite that is sold today is mined in the southwestern United States, France, or Namibia.

Azurite
Azurite is a brilliant deep blue stone (hydrated copper carbonate) that gets its vibrant color from its close association with copper-bearing ores. It is related to malachite, a vibrant green gemstone that is often found nearby or within the azurite. When they are found together, often near copper deposits in Arizona, they are called Azurmalachite.

Blackstone
Blackstone is general term for any one of a number of semi-precious gemstones, such as jasper, which are dyed and polished to a shiny black color.

Bowenite
Bowenite, a semi-precious gem stone, is a variety of serpentine. It ranges in color from dark green to light olive green, to yellow. It has been used for tools, weapons and jewellery by the Maori in New Zealand, and for jewellery by Fabergé. Bowenite is the state mineral of Rhode Island. It was named after scientist and educator George T. Bowen, who analyzed it in 1822.

Bowlerite
During the depression when valuable materials were scarce, Native American craftsmen used items such as phonograph records, car batteries and plastic Dixie cup spoons to make jewelry. Today that resourcefulness continues with bowlerite - up-cycled bowling balls that have been cut apart, shaped, sanded, and polished to make jewelry and other crafts.

Carnelian
A translucent, semiprecious variety of the silica mineral chalcedony with physical properties like quartz. Shades of red, orange, and reddish brown come small amounts of ron oxide, or rust. Carnelian was used widely during Roman times to make signet or seal rings for imprinting a seal with wax because hot wax does not stick to Carnelian. Some of these rings have retained their high polish better than those made from harder stones. Carnelian is mined principally in India, Brazil, and Australia.

Charlevoix Stone
Also known as honeycomb coral and favosite, Charlevoix is a coral fossil similar to Petoskey stone, Michigan’s state stone. Both are found at gravel pits and lake shores and especially around Charlevoix, Michigan, from which the stone gets its name. They range in color from grey to beige to dark brown. Dry stones look like limestone but polishing brings out a mottled pattern of six-sided coral fossils. Both of these stones have a pattern of hexagons resembling honeycomb, but Petoskey typically has larger cells containing a sunburst pattern while Charlevoix cells are smaller, empty and tightly packed.

Charoite
Charoite is an easy gemstone to indentify because of its violet to purple color an distinctive white, black and brownish swirls. Sugilite, another purple gemstone, is the closest in appearance but it lacks the distinguishing wispy white inclusions of Charoite. It is a relatively new stone, being first discovered by a Russian geologist in 1948 between the Chara and Tokko Rivers in the Siberia region of Russia. This is still the only place in the world it is found. It was not until 1977 that Charoite was scientifically identified as a mineral and gemstone and was named Charoite after the Chara river.
Charoite is said to accelerate spiritual growth and increase the ability to love.

Chert
Chert, flint, jasper and agate are names commonly used by geologists, archaeologists and gemologists for specimens of microcrystalline quartz. It is found in all colors of the rainbow. Darker color chert is often referred to as flint. Many ancient cultures used flint to make tools for cutting and scraping and also used it to make weapons like arrowheads and ax heads. It is very hard and durable and the edges of chert are very sharp. Red to brown chert is colored by iron oxide and referred to as jasper and is usually opaque to near opaque. Translucent chert is called agate. Chert is sometimes the matrix rock upon which turquoise is formed and it is often preserved in the turquoise when making jewelry, as in the vintage bracelet shown here.

Chrysocolla - Chrysocolla is a copper silicate gemstone consisting of copper, silica, aluminum and hydrogen. It has a beautiful sky blue to bluish-green color by itself but is usually found combined with other minerals such as quartz, chalcedony, malachite, turquoise, and azurite. The minerals provide hardness to relatively soft chrysocolla and also add other colors and interesting patterns. Chrysocolla resembles both turquoise and malachite and has often been substituted for these gemstones. Incan, Aztec and native North American tribes used both Chrysocolla and turquoise in decorative, ceremonial and spiritual ways.

vintage new old stock sterling silver chrysocolla ring size 7

Chrysocolla
Chrysocolla is a vivid blue-green stone that is often mistaken for turquoise. The rich colors of chrysocolla are reminiscent of looking down upon earth from space. Chrysocolla is found near copper deposits in Africa, Mexico and Arizona, where it is called Apache chrysocolla. Apache chrysocolla is a mixture of chrysocolla, turquoise, jasper, lapis, malachite and quartz crystals.

Chrysoprase (chrysophrase)
Chrysoprase comes from the Greek chrysos meaning 'gold' and prason, meaning 'leek'. Its color is normally apple-green, but varies to deep green. Chrysoprase is a gemstone variety of chalcedony and is cryptocrystalline, which means that it is composed of crystals so fine that they cannot be seen as distinct particles under normal magnification. Unlike emerald which owes its green color to the presence of chromium, the color of chrysoprase is due to trace amounts of nickel compounds in form of very small inclusions. It is the color of chrysoprase, rather than any pattern of markings, that makes it desirable. The best known sources of chrysoprase are Poland, Australia, Germany, Russia, Arizona, California, and Brazil.

Citrine
Citrine is a semiprecious translucent yellow gemstone that is a variety of quartz. The name comes from "citron", French for lemon. The yellow color is from the presence of iron and the darker the color the higher the grade of citrine. It is valued by some for its resemblance to topaz, yellow sapphire and yellow diamond.
Brazil is the main source of citrine but it is found in many parts of the United States as well as in Madagascar, Spain, Uruguay and Scotland.

Coral, Red Coral (also called Red Branch Coral)
Red Coral is the common name given to Corallium Rubrum and several related species of marine coral. The distinguishing characteristic of precious corals is their durable and intensely colored red skeleton, which is used for making jewelry. Other names for Red Coral are Precious Coral, Ox Blood Coral, and Fire Coral.

Red coral is a collection of hundreds of tiny animals living together in a colonies that resemble small leafless bushes growing on dark, rocky seabottom. The arms of red coral, like other branching corals, wave in the tides and curents to collect microscopic plankton upon which they feed.The original species is found mainly in the Mediterranean Sea, while other species are native to the western Pacific, around Japan and Taiwan. Most of the deep red coral is Italian Coral.

The coral skeleton is composed hard calcium carbonate, colored in shades of red from pale pink to deep red. It can be semi-translucent to opaque. It is naturally matte, but can be polished to a glassy shine. Red coral is frequently dyed to enhance color and it can also be impregnated with resins or epoxies to fill surface fissures and flaws. Reconstituted coral is made from natural solid material, or coral fragments that have been pulverized into a powder, soaked in binding agents, then pressed into a solid mass to be re-cut.

Coral jewelry has been found in ancient Egyptian and prehistoric European burials. The Romans believed coral could protect children from harm, as well as cure bites from snakes and scorpions and diagnose diseases by changing colour.

Dalmation Stone
Dalmatian Stone is a semi-precious stone made of albite, a form of feldspar, and quartz. Its base color varies from white to cream to grey to brown. It has distinct black spots of arfvedsonite and it is named after the dalmatian dog, whose coat pattern it resembles. Dalmatian Stone is favored for tumbling and cutting into beads, spheres, cabochons and carvings. It is very easily polished to a bright luster.

Dinosaur Bone

Dinosaur bones have sometimes undergone a natural process where the original bone material was replaced with chalcedony, a fine-crystalled quartz. Rarely, some of this agatized material has the color, clarity and other characteristics suitable for jewelry.

Dinosaur "gem bone" is from the Jurassic Age and is from 136,000,000 to 145,000,000 years old, It is found almost exclusively in a relatively small region in the American Southwest called the Colorado Plateau, an area once teeming with dinosaurs. It is illegal to collect dino bone on US state or federal lands thus making agatized dinosaur bone more valuable.

Dino bone ranges in color from brown to black with splotches of red, blue and bright yellow. Dark yellow-gold and red dinosaur bone is also found, but is more rare. The coloring of the specimen is due to impurities that were in the surrounding sediment.

Dolomite (dolostone)
A sedimentary rock comprised primarily of calcium and magnesium. (Technically, the term "dolomite" refers to the mineral and "dolostone" or "dolomite rock" are used for the rock comprised of dolomite and other minerals - but "dolomite" is commonly used for both the mineral and the rock.) Dolostone typically ranges from pinkish-yellowish brown to gray to white, sometimes having bands and striations. A very hard form of dolostone that is pure white with black inclustions is called White Buffalo.

Elimia Agate
This sedimentary rock contains abundant fossils of tiny creatures including snails called elimia tenera. It was formed millions of years ago along shallow lake edges in the Green River Formation in Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah. Sometimes called record keeper healing stones and used to tap into past events.

Fire Agate
Fire agate is a rare gemstone of unusual beauty. It is typically a dark brown agate that reflects flashes iridescent of yellow, red, orange and green depending on how light strikes it. Fire agate has been found in significant quantities in a few sites, including northern Mexico and the southwest USA, mainly Arizona.

Fish Rock
Fish Rock is a form of serpentine. It is a very traditional stone that has been carved since ancient times. It shines up very nicely. It is usually a buff color with specks but can vary quite a bit.

Fluorite
Fluorite is the natural crystalline form of calcium fluoride (CaF2). The name comes from the Latin "fluere" which means to flow. It's considered a soft material to carve and it has a glassy appearance. The most common color is deep purple but it comes in a variety of colors such as blue, green, yellow, pink, rose and black. Some types of fluorite will glow under ultra violet light, hence the name fluorescence.

Southern Illinois is the largest producer of fluorite in the United States. The early Mississippian people acquired fluorite from natural outcrops in southern Illinois and in Kentucky and used it for the production of ornaments and statues.

Gaspeite
Gaspeite is a relatively new and rare gemstone, having only been discovered in 1977 on the Gaspé Peninsula of Quebec, Canada, the place after which it is named. Its color ranges from muted green to vivid apple-green and it often has brownish matrix. Darker shades can resemble green turquoise. Most gaspiete today comes from Western Australia.

Geode
Geodes are hollow, usually globe-like, rocks. The outer shell is commonly quartz with the inside lined by various minerals (often crystalline) such as purple amethyst, agate, jasper or clear quartz. There is no simple way to determine what is inside a geode until it is cut open or broken apart. Geodes are common in the United States (Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Utah) and also in Brazil, Namibia, and Mexico.

Goldstone
Goldstone is a type of man-made glittering glass. Also called aventurine glass and monkstone. The original manufacturing process for goldstone is credited to the Miotti family of seventeenth century Venice. It is basically a reddish-brown glass which contains tiny crystals of metallic copper.

Hematite
A form of iron oxide, is one of the most abundant minerals on earth. Color ranges from black to steel or silver-gray, brown to reddish brown, or red. It is harder than pure iron, but much more brittle and it polishes to a high luster. The term hematite is derived from the Greek word for blood, likely because powdered hematite is reddish. Powdered hematite is used for chalk, paint pigments, and red rouge and jewelers rouge polishing compounds. Natural hematite is a minor gem material used to produce cabochons, beads, and small sculptures. It is only weakly magnetic. What is called "magnetic hematite", which is often used in jewelry, is a manufactured product that most often does not even contain hematite, but is mainly synthetic ceramic barium-strontium ferrite magnet.

Howlite is a porous borate mineral that often appears in irregular nodules resembling cauliflower. It is snow white to milky stone often with brown or black veins. It is sometimes passed off as White Turquoise or White Buffalo. It is also dyed to imitate blue or green turquoise. It is quite soft with a Mohs hardness of 3.5 in contrast to turquoise which is 5-7.

Ivory comes from the tusks of animals such as the elephant, hippos, and walrus. Fresh ivory is hard, white and opaque. The importation and sale of fresh ivory in many countries has been banned or severely restricted over the past decades to protect the animals from which it is taken.

Fossilized ivory is very old ivory (from 1,000 to 10,000+ years old) that has been buried long enough to become cream-colored, yellowish or sepia. It is not fully mineralized like prehistoric dinosaur bone so remains softer than stone and is easy to carve and form for jewelry. Since fossilized ivory does not involve the killing of animals it can legally be traded and is in full compliance with the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service regulations.

Jade
A smooth green stone with even texture that has long been used for carving and for jewelry.The term jade refers to two minerals: jadeite and nephrite. These minerals are similar in appearance but jadeite has more intense color and translucency so is more highly valued and thought to be the true jade. Colors of jade vary from mottled green and white, to yellow, pink, purple, and black. The most valuable form of jade, imperial jade, is emerald green and comes from Myanmar. Jade is also found in California, Mexico, and Central and South America. Jade is an ancient symbol of love and virtue. It is thought to protect the kidneys, liver, spleen, heart, larynx, thymus, and thyroid. Ancient people thought that wearing jade would increase body strength and add longevity.

Jasper
Jasper comes from the Greek word, iaspis, which means "spotted stone." A form of opaque microcrystalline quartz, jasper derives its colorful patterns from iron and other minerals. Jasper can be found in a wide variety of patterns and colors, including shades of red, brown, orange, yellow and gray. Unicolor jasper is actually quite rare. Almost all jasper stones are multicolor, featuring stripes, spots or flame-like patterns and it is often named according to its pattern. Jasper has a dull luster but takes a fine polish. It is mined in North Africa, Sicily, France, India, Venezuela, Germany, the U.S.A. and elsewhere.

It is thought by some that jasper has the power to drive away evil spirits and protect against bites of snakes spiders. It supposedly gives a person courage.

Jet (Acoma Jet)
A solid, durable type of lignite coal that originated from wood. It is mined around the Acoma Pueblo region, among other places, thus the name Acoma Jet, or Jet for short. It is very popular for carving fetishes. It is also used for inlaying but usually not used in stone sets. It can range from very lightweight to heavy.

Labradorite
Labradorite is a variety of feldspar that is found in igneous rocks. In bright light it appears sea blue, gold and green and in dim light it shows grey or dark green colors. Polished labradorite is called labradorescence. The darker variety is known as "black moonstone" which has a bluish inclusions. Originally discovered along the coast of Labrador in 1805, it is now found in Newfoundland, other parts of Canada, the Ukraine, the Ural mountains, and the USA. It is believed that Labradorite gem stone brings joy and kindness and provide variety and good fortune. It energizes and provide a balanced mental plane and also heals infections. It is said to raise level of consciousness and act as a barrier against all negative energies.

Lapis lazuli
Lapis is a deep blue stone often with gold flecking that twinkles like stars. It can also be a deep blue black color. The most desirable lapis is solid, deep blue with no white calcite spots and just a sprinkling of glittering golden yellow pyrite. Such material is found only in Afghanistan (mined there for over 7000 years) and Pakistan. A limited amount of lapis mined in the western part of Colorado (Italian Mountain) that is deep blue with large amounts of pyrite. Other places where lapis is mined include Egypt, Mongolia, Canada, and Chile.

The name lapis lazuli is a combination of the Latin word lapis ("stone") and the Arabian name azul, meaning "blue." Lapis is one of the few rocks used as a gem and one of the first gemstones ever to be worn as jewelry. A lapis gemstone won't fade in light but it is easily scratched and chipped.; clean it only with a soft, dry cloth to maintain its shine. Major mines are located in Afghanistan, Egypt, Canada and Chile.

Many ancient cultures believed that lapis lazuli contained magical powers. In the Middle Ages, monks powdered the stone and kneaded it into dough with beeswax, resin and linseed oil, for use in illuminated manuscripts. Today, people around the world consider lapis lazuli to be a stone of awareness, able to impart knowledge and wisdom. It is reputed to bring about harmony in relationships and to cleanse the mind bringing about self-acceptance.

Larimar
Larimar is a rare blue variety of pectolite found only in the Dominican Republic. The color can range from white to pale blue to green blue to a sea blue to deep blue. It is a truly beautiful stone. Although discovered in 1916, it was not mined until it was rediscovered in 1974. Its name is a combination of the name Larissa (daughter of one of the rediscoverers), and "mar" which means sea in Spanish - thus Larimar. The more intense the blue and the more contrast in the stone, the higher and rarer is the quality. The blue color is photosensitive and can fade over time if exposed to too much light and heat.

Lepidolite
Lepidolite is a form of mica that is typically violet to pink color and sometimes has flecks of sparkling mica. It is found in California, Brazil; the Ural Mountains, Russia; and Africa.

Magnasite
Magnesite is a usually white stone with brown, gray or black inclusions or matrix. It resembles White Buffalo but is much softer, more porous and not as brilliant white. Magnesite is sometimes erroneously called "white turquoise". It is a beautiful natural white when polished but it has also been dyed to resemble (and be sold as) turquoise, lapis lazuli and other colorful stones.

Malachite
Malachite, copper carbonate, is a secondary copper mineral found in oxidized copper deposits. It is light to dark green, sometimes banded with darker and lighter shades of green. The bands sometimes form concentric rings.

Malachite has been carved into ornaments and worn as jewelry for thousands of years, and in some ancient civilizations it was thought to be a protection from evil if worn as jewelry. Malachite is generally found with blue Azurite, and sometimes the two may occur admixed or banded together, forming "Azure-malachite".

Marble
Most marble is compact limestone, 90% calcite or dolomite. The word "marble" derives from the Greek marmaros, "shining stone". The color varies from white to black, being sometimes yellow, red, and green, and frequently beautifully veined or clouded. Marble can be polished to a high lustre and has been used for architectural and ornamental purposes for centuries.

Marble is often named after the location of the quarry, such as Egyptian Marble, Parian Marble from Greece, Carrara Marble from Italy, Proconnesus Marble from Turkey, Macael Marble from Spain, Makrana marble from India, Danby Marble from Vermont, and Yule Marble from Colorado.

Mellite, also called honeystone, is an unusual mineral being also an organic chemical. Like jet, it is found in deposits of brown coal or lignite, and its formation is partly the result of vegetable decomposition, which is very unusual for gemstones. It is a translucent crystal, which can be polished and faceted to form striking gemstones. Honeystone somewhat resemble amber in appearance and is typically found in crystals of gray, brown to reddish, and more rarely yellow or honey-coloured. It was named from the Greek , "melis" for honey. It was discovered in 1789 at in Germany and since has been found in Russia, Austria, the Czech Republic, and Hungary.

Melon Shell
Melon Shell comes from several melon-shaped mollusks of the genus "melo". Also called bailers or boat shell because early seafarers used large specimens of these shells to bail water from their boats. Melon shell comes in various pastel shades of cream to light brown. Commonly found on beaches and sandy ocean bottom in the southwestern Pacific. They also are often by-products of the seafood industry because the snails are harvested for meat.

Mojave Stone (Mohave Stone)
A manufactured stone by Colbaugh. It can range from turquoise to green to purple. Read all about Mojave Stone in my article: Mojave Turquoise, Mojave Stone . . . what is it?

Moonstone is a variety of potassium fedspar and it can occur in nearly all colors of the rainbow. A distinctive characteristic of moonstone is a glow or shimmer that seems to originate from deep within the stone rather than on the surface. For thousands of years cultures from every part of the world have revered moonstone, many believing that it was formed from moonbeams or drops of moonlight. Thus, moonstone is believed to possess the properties traditionally associated with the moon: romance, femininity, intuition, dreams, emotion fertility and love.

Mother of Pearl
The common name for iridescent nacre, a blend of minerals secreted by oysters, abalone, and other mollusks to line their shells and protect them from parasites and foreign objects. Most MOP is milky white or silver and translucent, while mop from abalone has darker rainbow hues.

Mother of pearl is said to stimulate intuition, sensitivity, imagination, and adaptability and help with clarity in decision making. MOP stirs and awakens the primordial memory of your origin in the infinite ocean of divine love and stirs this memory in every cell of your physical body thereby producing an overall calming effect as it gently stirs the life energy of your cells. Like waves lapping the shore, this stirring is steady, relaxing, and rhythmical.
Read more about Mother of Pearl.

Gold-lip Mother of Pearl
Outside edge of certain mother of pearl (mop) shells. Clear yellow to yellow -gold colors, used mostly for inlay work.

Pink Mussel Shell
Clear pink shell. Can vary from deep pink to pale pink, has translucent quality.

Obsisian
Obsidian is a gemstone of volcanic glass that forms when lava cools very quickly. It is most commonly black, but can be blue, red, orange, yellow or swirled. Obsidian is relatively soft and breaks or chips easily upon impact so it is not appropriate for jewelry such as rings and bracelets but it is used in earrings, brooches and pendants . It is also cut into beads and cabochons or used to make tumbled stones. Ancient people skillfully broke chips off the edges of obsidian pieces to make extremely sharp tools and weapons such as knives, arrowheads, spears and scrapers.

Olive Shell
Olive shells are mollusks found mostly in warm tropical seas. These snails are carnivorous sand-burrowers, feeding mostly on bivalves and carrion and are known as some of the fastest burrowers among snails. An olive shell is smooth, and oval-shaped with various muted but attractive colors, and often patterns.The shell surface is extremely glossy because in life it almost always covered and protected by a mantle.

Onyx
Onyx is mined as a striped variety of agate, with white, black, brown or red alternating bands that are parallel and regular. Treatments using heat, sugar, and/or acid can turn onyx a uniform color, most commonly black, green, purple or blue. White onyx occurs naturally and can also be achieved by bleaching.

Banded onyx and agate are both varieties of layered chalcedony that differ only in the form of the bands: onyx has parallel bands whereas agate has curved bands. The colors of its bands range from white to almost every color

Onyx may chip or scratch rather easily and it is used mainly in settings, not for carvings or inlay work.

The main sources of onyx are India and South America, but it is also found in China, Brazil, Madagascar, Mexico and the U.S.A.

Opal
Blue stone with interior fracturing of light which results in a play of color. Opal is October's birthstone and is believed to make the wearer less self-conscious, thereby encouraging spontaneous action and awakening one's psyche.

Orthocera
These were the earliest recognizable animals and were able to swim and crawl. Orthoceras ranged in size from a few inches to over six feet long. When they died, their shells fell to the ocean floor and after being covered by sediment, were transformed into stone.

Pen shell, also called sea wing and fan mussel, shares characteristics with oysters, scallops, and mussels. Having the general shape of a mussel with two thin-walled, fan-shaped shells, the pen shell is typically long and tapered, somewhat triangular, like a flag or pennant from which it get its name. Pen shells can grow to more that twelve inches in length. The shells are various shades of black and reddish brown with colorful irridescence lining. Pen shells are common in shallow waters near seagrass beds and are usually found buried in the sand with only the upper portion of the shell exposed. Pen shell heishi is commonly used by Native American artists either by itself or as spacers with other materials such as turquoise, coral and spiny oyster.

Peridot (chrysolite) is a transparent green variety of the mineral olivine that is used as a popular gemstone. It is the birthstone for August and its use in jewelry dates back to the Egyptian pharoahs. It ranges in color from yellowish green to dark lime green. It is found throughout the world but the largest known deposit of gem quality stones is in the United States on the San Carlos Apache Reservation in Arizona. Peridot is both a day stone and a night stone, keeping its shining color even under artificial lighting. For this reason, it is sometimes called "Evening Emerald". Although Peridot can be pronounced both with and without the "t" at the end, most professionals in the gem trade pronounce the "t".

Petoskey Stone is a rock of fossilized coral. Dry stones look like limestone but polishing brings out a mottled pattern of six-sided coral fossils. Petoskey comes from the name of the 19th century Ottawa Indian chief Petosega, a fur trader who live on the shores of Lake Michigan. The town of Petoskey, Michigan is named after the chief and the shores of Lake Michigan are a prime source of Petoskey stone. In 1965, it was named the state stone of Michigan. Petoskey closely resembles Charlevoix stone - both have a pattern of hexagons resembling honeycomb, but Petoskey typically has larger cells containing a sunburst pattern while Charlevoix cells are smaller, empty and tightly packed. Some believe that the eye configurations on Petoskey Stone enhance psychic awareness, and help you tune in to your emotions and creative ablilities.

Petrified Wood is wood in which the vegetable material has been replaced by minerals, usually silica. The silica may be in the form of jasper, agate, chalcedony or even opal. For this process to occur the wood must buried in mud, ash, lake sediment or other material to exclude oxygen and prevent decay. The varied colors of petrified wood are created by minerals such as iron oxide and manganese oxide, that enter the wood in solution with the silica.

Pipestone
Pipestone, also known as catlinite, is a form of clay called argillite with a high iron content that colors it a deep red to pale orange. Pipestone was discovered in southwestern Minnesota by the Sioux Indians, who consider it a sacred material and use it to carve pipes and other ceremonial objects. It is easy to carve because of its lack of quartz.

In 1836 George Catlin, American artist and writer, visited the Sioux Indiana in the upper midwest and collected samples of a red stone for analysis. The stone, which Native Americans used for making pipes, was subsequently named Catlinite in George Catlin's honor. Pipestone National Monument, a 282 acre area near Pipestone, Minnesota, was established in 1937. It is legally quarried only by American Indians.

There is a general confusion on whether or not Pipestone National Monument is the only site containing catlinite. Other sites given are Rice Lake, Wisconsin; Garretson, Wisconsin; Norton, Kansas; and South Dakota. Many of these sites produce an argillite pipestone, but of a different composition than that in Minnesota. Some of the stone from these areas are often misrepresented as catlinite, but do not have the special carving abilities of genuine catlinite.

Prehnite
Prehnite is named after Hendrik von Prehn, who was the governor of the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, and who discovered this mineral in 1774. The color of prehnite is often described as 'apple green' and is usually found within a range of light to medium green although some yellowish, brownish or even orange tints can also occur. Prehnite gemstones are very often translucent rather than transparent and this cloudy clarity softens the colors considerably giving them a velvety or mossy appearance. Early on it was thought to be an emerald, then peridot and still later, a tourmaline before its hydrated calcium aluminum silicate chemical formation was properly identified.

Pyrite
Iron pyrite is an iron sulfide with a metallic luster and silver to brass-yellow hue. Also called fool's gold, brass, brazzle and brazil. Pyrite is sometimes found as an inclusion in turquoise. When used in jewelry pyrite is often improperly called "marcasite". Marcasite, a cousin to pyrite, has the same chemical formula but a different and very unstable crystal system; it tarnishes easily and is generally unsuitable for use in jewelry.

Quartz
Quartz is a crystalline mineral that come in many forms, including amethyst, aventurine, citrin, opal, rock crystal, tiger's eye, rose quartz,and many others.

This stone is believed by some to bring gentleness, forgiveness, compassion, kindness and tolerance, to raise self-esteem and to remove fears, resentments and anger. Some also say rose quartz can heal and release childhood traumas, neglect and lack of love. It helps with family reconciliations and eases overwhelming or unreasonable guilt. Rose quartz is also used to benefit the heart, circulatory system, fertility, headaches, kidney disease, migraines, sexual dysfunction, sinus problems, throat problems, depression, addictions and ear aches.

Rainbow Calsilica
A beautiful multicolored stone chosen for carvings by Zuni artists. Some experts say it is a natural occurring stone from a mine in Chihuahua, Mexico. Others say it has to be man made because of its vibrant colors. We have done research on the subject and can not say which is true. What we do know, is that it is beautiful, eye-catching, and most importantly, Zuni artists choose to use the material for their carvings.

Rhodochrosite
A beautiful mineral with crystal like qualities that make it seem like it is lit from within. Pink and white bands and neighboring other colors of the manganese ore make for a variety of patterns and color combinations. The name rhodochrosite means rose-colored.

Ricolite
A type of fine grained serpentine that has colored banding. Ricolite comes from a remote and inaccessible area in southwest New Mexico. The name "Ricolite" is from the Spanish "rico" for rich, as in "rich stone". It was officially recognized as a gem stone in 1889.

Authentic Native American quartz bear Fetish carving by Zuni Debra Gasper

Selenite
Selenite is variety of gypsum Its name derives from Selene, the Greek goddess of the moon. Selenite is typically a translucent pearly white, which can resemble a moonlit glow. It is often associated with purity and clarity in various metaphysical practices. Because selenite is soluble in water, it should only be cleaned with a soft dry cloth.

Serpentine
The state rock of California, serpentine is a gemrock with wide diversity in color and character, from green to yellow, with browns, black and whites. It can be bi-colored, streaked, mottled, banded or spotted and it has a slippery, snake-like surface (hence the name). It is composed of several minerals including minor amounts of chrysotile a somewhat benign form of asbestos.

In the rock industry the scientific term “marble” is also applied to serpentine rocks that can be polished to a high shine. But , technically, “marble” and “serpentine” are two different rocks. Scientific terms (in this case “marble”) can have a different meaning in industry. Dark green serpentine “marble” is frequently referred to as verde antique.

It is said to help one find inner peace, calmness, and a long life; instills in the bearer a respect for the elderly and wards off snake bites.

Obsidian is a shiny volcanic glass that forms above ground when lava cools rapidly. It is similar in composition to the magma from which granite forms underground. Obsidian forms in many colors but is usually black. Snowflake obsidian contains small white or gray crystal impurities that resemble snowflakes. It is also called flowering obsidian.

Spiny oyster
Spiny oyster, not surprisingly, is an oyster that is covered with spines. Like coral or mother-of-pearl, the shell of spiny oyster is considered an organic gemstone. The portion of the shell used to make jewelry is Aragonite, which consists of calcium carbonate (CaCO3). Aragonite has the same chemical formula as calcite. Spiny oysters are found primarily in the warm waters of the Sea of Cortez (between the California peninsula and Mexican mainland) and in the gulf of Mexico. Common colors vary from orange, found in shallow waters, to red and purple from deeper waters. The shell is also found in white, yellow, pink and brown. Polished shell has definite striations and color variation. Red spiny oyster has been used as a subsititute for coral.

Soapstone
Soapstone is a very soft stone composed primarily of talc. It is gray to green in color, has a soapy feel (hence the name) and is notable for its high degree of resistance to acids and heat. Soapstone is easily cut with a knife or other sharp tool, making it a popular material for centuries as a soft medium for carving and for making smoking pipes.

Sugilite
An opaque stone with a waxy luster ranging in color from pale grayish lavender to deep purple, sometimes with black matrix, reddish brown or yellowish blotches. Sugilite was discovered in Japan in 1944 by geologist Ken-ichi Sugi, from which it gets it name. It is also known under the trade names of "Royal Lavulite" and "Royal Azel". It is also found in South Africa, India and Canada. Sugilite is sometimes confused with charoite.

Sodalite
Sodalite is a rich royal blue mineral that together with hauyne, nosean and lazurite is a common constituent of lapis lazuli. A light, relatively hard yet fragile mineral, sodalite is named after its sodium content. Well known for its blue color, sodalite may also be grey, yellow, green, or pink and is often mottled with white veins or patches. The more uniformly blue material is used in jewelry, where it is fashioned into cabochons and beads. That with more veining, patches and mottling is used in carving for interest. Although very similar to lazurite and lapis lazuli, sodalite is royal blue rather than ultramarine. Sodalite also rarely contains pyrite, a common inclusion in lapis. Sodalite's poor cleavage may be seen as incipient cracks running through the stone.

Tagua Nut
A tagua nut (also called vegetable ivory) is from the Tagua palm tree (also called ivory nut palm) from South America. The scientific name means "Plant Elephant" which refers to the hard white seeds which resemble elephant ivory.

Each fruit pod is covered in a horned husk that is about the size of a grapefruit. Inside there are 4 to 9 seeds the size of a hen's egg.

Tagua is naturally an ivory color and can be toasted to a rich golden brown or deep mocha. It is extremely hard, takes on a high polish and absorbs dyes readily.

In the 1920s over 20% of the buttons produced in the US were made of tagua, imported into the US from South America.

Care of tagua includes not getting it wet such as in a shower or swimming pool. Every year or so, buffing with beeswax will enhance is natural shine.

The indigenous people of South America use Tagua to represent the feminine because of its great magnet-like romantic energy. Each member of the tribe was given a tagua pendant to wear around his or her neck. The natives believed that persons wearing tagua would live in harmony and always be loved by their family and friends.

Using Tagua Nuts for carving is ecologically sound. It is a excellent substitute for illegal elephant ivory so prevents elephants from being killed for the ivory in their tusks. And its economic viability provides an alternative to cutting down rainforests for farming. Tagua Palm stands are a valuable sustainable, renewable resource not only for the tagua ivory but as a source of food and construction wood. The nuts are harvested from the ground without any harm to the tree.

Tiger Eye (Tiger's Eye, Tigers Eye, Tiger Eye Quartz)
A form of quartz that displays chatoyance (chatoyancy), which is a narrow band of wavy or silky sheen that changes its position when the polished gem is turned in the light. This opal-like iridescence resemble the eye of a cat or tiger. A gemstone best shows chatoyance when it is cut as a cabochon (smooth, domed shape) rather than faceted like a diamond. Tiger Eye is usually amber to rich brown in color. A similar stone with a gray-blue color is known as “hawk’s eye”.

Tigilite (tidgilites bohmei, spotted fawn jasper, fawn stone, wormtrack rock) is a limestone from Gila County, Arizona. The spots are thought by some to be ancient worm burrows. Others believe they are filled in gas bubbles from decaying organic matter. Tigilite compares in hardness and workability to Picasso marble.

Tortoise shell comes from the shells of the larger species of tortoise and turtle, mainly the hawksbill turtle. It is valued for its beautiful mottled yellow and brown appearance and for its durability. It was used in the manufacture of a wide variety of items such as combs, inlays in jewelry and furniture, frames for spectacles, and guitar picks. The trade of tortoise shell was banned worldwide in 1973 and since then many materials have been used to imitate it, including stained horn and plastic. Tortoise shell can still be found in items made before the 1970s but it is illegal to sell them.

Travertine (Zuni Rock, Zuni Stone)
A non-crystalline, porous rock found on the Zuni reservation. Travertine is a form of limestone (calcium carbonate) so in its pure form, it would be white, but most often travertine occurs in yellow, brown and gray hues due to the presence of other minerals. The late Zuni carver Leekya Deyuse was especially noted for carving with this stone and his descendents continue to use travertine in their carvings today.

Unakite (also called unakite jasper, epidotized granite, epidotized quartz) is an unusual stone comprised of clear quartz, green epidote and pink feldspar. It commonly appears as a mixture of salmon pink and olive green. Unakite was discovered in the Unakas Mountains, on the border of eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina. It is also found in Virginia and other southeastern states as well as in Michigan and South Africa. Unakite is believed to aid self-awareness, balance and centering as it helps unify a persons emotional, spiritual, mental, and spiritual aspects. It is useful for uncovering fraud and finding the truth in others and in oneself. It is said to benefit the heart, circulatory system and female reproductive system and is a good stone to wear during pregnancy.

Variscite is a relatively rare phosphate mineral (hydrated aluminum phosphate) that is sometimes confused with turquoise, however variscite is greener in color and is usually rich with matrix.

Verdite is a semi-precious stone found only in South Africa. It occurs in a range of changing patterns and shades from golden brown to rich emerald greens and blues. It is very smooth and solid and is relatively easy to carve. Ancient tribesmen crafted Verdite into jewelry and witchdoctors made a preparation from the powdered stone, which they believed increased fertility.

White Buffalo Stone (sometimes erroneously called "White Turquoise) is technically not turquoise, but a similar stone that is white with black and brown inclusions. By definition turquoise contains copper (it is a copper aluminium phosphate), which is what gives the characteristic blue color. Presence of iron will shift the color toward green. White Buffalo Stone is mined in Tonopah, Nevada by the Otteson family. Howlite, a softer more porous black and white stone, is commonly passed off as White Buffalo Stone. Read: White Turquoise Demystified to learn all the details.

Zebra Stone (Zebra Rock, Zebra Marble, Zebra Jasper) - Technically, Zebra stone is the trade name for a banded brown and white siltstone found mostly in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. The original source, found over 50 years ago, was covered by Lake Argyle after construction of the Ord River dam, but other sources occur in the area.
Zebra Stone also refers to a black and white stone from the vicinity of Prescott, Arizona as well as any number of other stones having a contrasting zebra-like patterning. Generic Zebra Stone can have a background of grey, greenish-gray, white, brown, or tan with stripes of black, darker gray, brick, or brown.
It is said that Zebra Stone brings out your intuition, tenderness, gentleness and love. It helps you exercise self-control and understand your chosen destiny. It stimulates creativity and success.

Stones Used in Native American Indian Jewelry