Alpaca Silver

What you might not know about Jasper

Jasper is an opaque, impure variety of silica, composed mostly of chalcedony, microcrystalline quartz, in association with other minerals, which give it colorful band and patterns, usually red, yellow or brown in color. This mineral breaks with a smooth surface, and is used for ornamentation or as a gemstone.  It can be highly polished and is used for vases, seals, and at one time for snuff boxes.  When the colors are in stripes or bands, it is called striped or banded jasper. Jaspilite is a banded iron formation rock that often has distinctive bands of jasper. Jasper is basically chert which owes its red color to iron(III) inclusions.

The names of various jaspers can come from their color: bloodstone, green, lemon; from their pattern: orbicular, poppy, leopardskin, landscape, Picasso; or from a place name: Morrisonite, Mookite.

Jewelry use of jaspers goes back into the early history of civilization. Various forms of this material are also frequently made into decorative objects, such as ashtrays or bookends.  Jaspers are found all over the world, with certain colors or patterns unique to particular locales.  Most bloodstone comes from India, all Mookaite from Australia.  Jasper was a favorite gem in the ancient world; its name can be traced back in Hebrew, Assyrian, Persian, Greek and Latin.  Jasper is often named according to its pattern: landscape jasper, the most popular, offers a small panorama in stone.  Ribbon Jasper, Picture Jasper and Orbicular Jasper are the names of other varieties.  Jasper is found in many countries.  It is sometimes used to create bowls and other objects and to adorn buildings, such as the Saint Wenceslas Chapel in Prague.

Types of Jasper

Jasper can appear as an opaque rock of shades of red due to mineral impurities. Patterns can arise from the formation process and from flow patterns in the sediment or volcanic ash that was saturated with silica to form jasper, yielding bands or swirls in the rock.

Jasper may be permeated by dendritic minerals providing the appearance of vegetative growths. The jasper may have been fractured and/or distorted after formation, later rebonding into discontinuous patterns or filling with another material. Heat or environmental factors may have created surface rinds (such as varnish) or interior stresses leading to fracturing.

Brown jasper that occurs as nodules in the Libyan Desert and in the Nile valley is known as Egyptian jasper or Egyptian pebble.

Picture jaspers simultaneously exhibit several of these variations (such as banding, flow patterns, dendrites or color variations) resulting in what appear to be scenes or images in a cut section. Spherical flow patterns produce a distinctive orbicular appearance. Complex mixes of impurities produce color variations. Healed fractures produce brecciated jasper. Examples of this can be seen at Llanddwyn Island.

Another type of Jasper is Leopard Jasper, also known as Orbicular Jasper. It is composed primarily of silicon dioxide (SiO2) and is a variety of Chalcedony, a type of quartz. Leopard jasper is usually an opaque combination of tan, gray, black or reddish-brown circles or ’spots’ of color, hence its name.

Care of Jasper

All types take an excellent polish, are trouble free to care for, and hardy enough for all jewelry uses.  These stones are usually cabbed, sometimes carved, and seldom faceted.

Jasper Facts, Information Description

Jasper is one of the birth stones listed for the Sun Sign of Virgo.  It is also the Mystical birthstone for the month of October.

Jasper is an opaque and fine grained variety of Chalcedony.  It is found in all colors including: red, brown, pink, yellow, green, grey/white and shades of blue and purple.

It often contains organic material and mineral oxides which give it interesting patterns, bands and colors. Many of these patterns resemble landscapes with mountains and valleys, thus the name “picture” is part of the name of many well know jaspers.

Jasper was a favorite gem in ancient times and is referenced in Greek, Hebrew, Assyrian and Latin literature.

Found worldwide, a wide variety of named jaspers is found in the western areas of the Unites States; California, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Wyoming and Washington.

Picture jasper is a petrified or silicated mud that dripped into gas pockets in molten lava.  It became superheated and then solidified forming the unusual banded patterns which are typical of this stone.

A 6.5-7 on the Mohs scale of hardness, Jasper is the state rock of Massachusetts, USA.

Etymology and Historical/Mythical Usage

The name means “spotted stone”, and is derived from Anglo-French jaspre, from Old French jaspe, from Latin iaspidem, the accusative of iaspis, from Greek iaspis, via a Semitic language (cf. Hebrew yashepheh, Akkadian yashupu), ultimately from Persian yashp.

The word yashepheh in the Masoretic text of Exodus 28:20, referring to a stone in the Hoshen, is thus reflected the the Septuagint by the word Iaspis, and usually translated into English as Jasper.  Despite the most common form of Jasper being red, scholars think tha the yashepheh here actually refers to a green form of Jasper — which was very rare, and so highly prized; the Greeks used Iaspis to refer to the green form, while the red form simply fell under the term Sard — which just means red.  Rebbenu Bachya argues that this stone represents the tribe of Benjamin, but there is actually a wide range of views among traditional sources about which tribe the stone refers.

It is described in the Book of Revelation (21:11) as follows: “It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a Jasper, clear as crystal.”

Folklore, legend and Healing Properties

Poppy Jasper is said to help bring joy into life.   Opalite Jasper is said to help one sleep.

Legend says that Jasper would drive away evil spirits and protect against snake and spider bites.  In the fourth century, it was thought to bring about the rain.

Jasper is protective.  It can align all the chakras and balance yin, yang energies, it is stabilizing and healing.

Astrological

Jasper is also listed as a birth/natal or star stone in the following birthstone tables:

                Mystical - October

                Talismanic - Aquarius

                Planetary - Aries

                Sun Sign (Star Sign) - Virgo

Jasper Cab Legend

                                                1.  Stone Canyon Jasper                           2.  Red Jasper

                                                3.  Biggs Jasper                                          4.  Rain Forrest Jasper

                                                5.  Bruneau Jasper                                    6.  Picture Jasper

                                                7.  Leopard Skin Jasper                            8.  Deschutes Jasper

                                                9.  Picasso Marble                                    10.  Owyhee Jasper

                                               11.  Ocean Jasper                                      12.  Opalite Jasper

                                               13.  Lavender Jasper                                14.  Dalmatian Jasper

                                               15.  Poppy Jasper                                      16.  Willow Creek Jasper

                                               17.  Morrisonite Jasper

Metaphysical:

Jasper is considered a Power Stone and a stone that accepts intense responsibility as a Protection Stone.  Jasper gives one the courage to speak out and have personal independence.  It’s a stone of the earth, and therefore a very “grounding” stone.  All Jaspers have excellent protective energies.

Jasper helps to re-align all chakras, in integrate those energies for our greatest good.

It stabilizes the aura, and provides cleaning of dysfunctional energies.  Think of the term “Solid as a Rock” and Jasper comes to mind.  It is a stone that works slowly, providing constant, slow, deliberate energy, especially good in time of needed change without the chaos a total upheaval would cause.  Excellent for those in hospitals and recuperating from surgery.

Jasper is a stone that reminds us we are not here only for ourselves, but to bring joy and guidance to others, helping them to reach a higher plain.  It’s a nurturing stone, a good stone for the healers to use on the behalf of others.

Both Kings and Priests used Jasper for spiritual and protective qualities.  It is said to be one of the stones used in the breastplate of the High Priest.

Jasper is a good stone for working with shy or timid people who need change.

Healing:

Emotional:  A good stone for people in counseling or therapy, who want to overcome addictions or compulsive behavior and to gather up their strength for the battles ahead.

Justice:  Jasper was once considered a Warriors Stone, so it knows of loyalty, inner strength, injustice and standing up for what you believe.

A Power Stone:  For those who stand for justice and fair play, especially useful for those whose job it is to rectify unjust situations.  (Lawyers, Advocates, Judges, Para-Legal, Sheriff, Policemen, Defenders and Soldiers.)

Protection:  Protection from other people, forces and from yourself!  It can keep you from getting carried away, or being lead astray and being diverted from your goals.

Courage:  Helps to give you courage in preparation for conflict, either physical or emotional.

Physical:  Kidneys, spleen, liver, bladder and stomach.  It can help restore a lost sense of smell.

Red Jasper is particularly used for help in preventing “set backs” in disorders.  (Or “slips” as we call them.)

Brought to you from the Alpaca Silver Store.