For some reason I associate jasper with autumn … Why? Maybe because it is often colored yellow, red and brown … And even greenish-blue jasper resembles an autumn sky over a motley forest …
The ancient name of this stone is jasper from the Greek word jasper - motley or speckled. The Arabs called jasper - "yashb", the Persians - "jasper", the Afghans - "yashab" in the Hebrew language, jasper was - "yasphe". In Russia as well as in Ancient Greece - "jasper" - "speckled stone".
Once upon a time, jasper was understood as transparent colored chalcedony. Now jasper is called opaque quartz, painted in a variety of colors or silica. With a variety of impurities with a predominance of quartz and chalcedony. There may be a lot of spar, garnet and other minerals.
Jasper is a semi-precious ornamental stone. Jasper stands out among other semi-precious stones, it seems to be an endless variety of colors, shades, blotches and patterns. For this she is even called "the queen of stones."
Most often, jasper is red, orange, yellowish, green, white, coffee, chocolate, brown, brown. Less often bluish, blue, gray-violet, lilac. But blue and blue shades of jasper are very rare in nature.
But gems with splashes, stripes and whole landscapes are often found against the main background. It is called “landscape jasper”.
There is also the Picasso jasper, which is a gem with a ring pattern.
Of the variegated jaspers, the most popular are black or dark green jaspers with clear, bright red spots or stripes.
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Jasper is mined in many countries of the world - France, Germany, Japan, Egypt, India, Venezuela, USA, Kazakhstan.
In Russia, the richest deposits of jasper are found in the South Urals, Altai, and the North Caucasus. Ural jasper is known all over the world.
Unusually beautiful variegated-colored jasper is mined from the deposit on Mount Colonel in Orsk.
In 1767, the first map in Russia was compiled with 68 jasper deposits indicated on it. Today, there are 200 such deposits in Russia.
According to scientists, man discovered jasper for himself in the Paleolithic period. Arrowheads and spearheads were made from jasper in ancient times. Later, the Sumerians and the ancient Egyptians carved seals and amulets from jasper.
In the ancient world, figures of gods, statues, columns began to be carved from jasper, it was used to decorate walls and mosaic floors in temples and palaces. Tabletops, writing instruments, candelabra were made from it. Jasper was used to make jewelry for clergy and kings.
Jasper is mentioned several times in the Bible. She is one of the 12 stones. According to some reports, jasper, along with 11 other stones, was laid in the foundation of Jerusalem.
Jasper was treated with great respect in Japan. When a messenger was sent with some order or greeting, jasper was necessarily tied to the branch of the adzusa tree, as a symbol of human life.
In ancient Greece, jasper was placed in the bed of a woman in labor. In ancient Rome, a gem or amulet was carved from jasper to save a seriously ill person.
In Russia, jasper was especially popular under Catherine II, who developed stone-cutting, and during her time several large plants for processing jasper were created.
One of the first evidences of the discovery of the Ural jasper dates back to 1742, the "miner of the Yekaterinburg department" Fyodor Babin, his son Peter and a student of Kirill Obvishchev found four deposits of red and green jasper along the Type river.
In 1751, a resident of Orenburg, Semyon Cheremisinov, found in the old Chud mines in the South Urals near Lake Irtyash "a speckled stone like a jasper." And in November 1751, the Bashkir foreman of Aguilda Satangulov found a green jasper "in the midday side of the Chebarkul fortress, near the Sanarka river."
MV Lomonosov considered jasper one of the most significant and valuable domestic goods, equating it with amber, crystal and pearls.
Some jasper products, especially those that have their own history, are very expensive. So at one of the auctions of the 19th century, a box made of green jasper with red veins by Benvenuto Cellini was sold by Baron Rothschild for 400 thousand gold rubles.
But most of the jasper products are available to people with an average income.
Not only jewelry is made of jasper - rings, bracelets, earrings, pendants, beads, hair ornaments, but also boxes, figurines, candlesticks, vases, writing instruments, and even fireplaces.
Even in ancient times, jasper was used as a finishing stone. In the story of A. I. Kuprin "Shulamith" in the descriptions of the palace of the biblical king Solomon, it is written about jasper benches placed along the walls and about the lining of the pool "from Egyptian jasper, snow-white, with pink, slightly noticeable veins."
Columns of jasper and marble adorned the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, burned by Herostratus in 356 BC. e. and restored to its original form thanks to Alexander the Great.
But, alas, later the temple was plundered by the Goths and the facing went to other buildings. And eight columns of green jasper ended up in the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, built in the 6th century by the Byzantine emperor Justinian.
Jasper has been considered a healing stone since ancient times. The ancient Greeks believed that if you drink from a jasper bowl, many diseases go away by themselves.
According to legend, a jasper bowl, presented by the Byzantine emperor Manuel to the monks of Athos, had healing properties. She could not only heal from ailments, but also neutralize poisons.
There is evidence that the famous statue of Buddha, made from whole green jasper weighing 5 tons, which is stored in one of the temples in Thailand, has tremendous healing power.
Hippocrates with green jasper treated fever and epilepsy.
Avicenna advised wearing yellow jasper around the abdomen to protect against gastrointestinal disorders.
Green jasper is used by healers in our time to improve digestion and heal from stomach diseases. It will also help with nerve disorders, depression, insomnia, stress. It is used for colds and infectious diseases.
It is believed that red jasper is associated with blood circulation and heart function, so it is used to stop bleeding and in the treatment of diseases of the cardiovascular system and women's diseases. It also heals the liver and gallbladder, kidneys and bladder.
In the Russian trade books of the 16th century, they wrote: "The red stone will amuse the heart into a mess and drive away obscene thoughts, reason and honor multiplies, strength, and a person's memory heals."
But red jasper raises blood pressure. White jasper drives away despondency and treats depression.
Wearing jasper constantly sharpens intuition. Jasper is worn both in silver and gold.
You can wear jasper jewelry on weekdays and holidays. But jasper is a daytime stone and is not suitable for evening outings.
Jasper protects its owner from all kinds of unkind influences. Magicians are advised to put a piece of jasper in the pocket of a loved one to protect him from all negative.
Jasper promotes mutual understanding and harmony. Dishes, a box and other jasper items in the house kept peace, love and harmony in it.
Jasper helps to find the right solution when solving problems.
Green jasper helps travelers and scientists. She also helps to achieve success in career growth.
Jasper is considered a stone of courageous, purposeful people with a strong character and wisdom. The famous mace of Bogdan Khmelnitsky is made of jasper.
Jasper should be tried not to drop or hit, it is harmful to the effects of perfumes and cleaning products. You need to clean the jasper with a sponge dipped in a solution of vinegar, but without pressure. Then rinse with warm water and polish with a piece of suede.
Jasper sunbathing is useful, she loves ultraviolet light.
Jasper will not leave anyone indifferent.
Probably, many people, admiring the jasper, begin to feel involved in the great art. And the main genius master is nature itself, who created this miracle under the name of jasper to the delight of all of us.