Where are chalcedony gemstones found in the world? How were they used throughout history? Where did they get their name? What powers and abilities have been attributed to chalcedony gems?
Description of Gem
Chalcedony is a cryptocrystalline form of quartz made of extremely tiny intergrown quartz crystals that are too small to be seen without magnification. Chalcedony stones form when silica-rich fluids deposit in cavities and cracks in rock, often lining the inside of geodes or filling veins.
The most common colors of chalcedony stones are variations of white, gray, reddish or light brown, green and blue.
Chalcedony is also the name of a gemstone family. Biblical stones within this family include agates, carnelians, the onyx stone, chrysoprase, sardonyx and jaspers.
Sources
Chalcedony is found in a variety of locations around the world. Notable sources of this Bible gem include Brazil, Uruguay, India, Madagascar, Namibia, and the western United States.
How Hard Is it?
Chalcedony has a hardness of 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale. It shares the same hardness as other Bible gemstones such as jasper, onyx, chrysolite, peridot, chrysoprase, agate and carnelian.
Biblical Occurrences
Chalcedony is mentioned, by name, only one time in the King James Bible. Its single occurrence is in the book of Revelation in a chapter describing the New Jerusalem built by God.
And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God . . .
And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb . . .
And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony (Greek chalkedon, Strong's Concordance #G5472); the fourth, an emerald . . . (Revelation 21:10, 14, 19, KJV).
Other Uses
Chalcedony stones are used in cabochons, beads, and carvings.
Jaspers, agates, chalcedony and lapis lazuli, in the past, were often engraved upon and used as seals and intaglios. Examples of such use, found in the British Museum, dates as far back as 2200 B.C. (Gemstones in the Breastplate, page 8).
People living along the Central Asian trade routes used various forms of chalcedony, including carnelian, to carve intaglios, ring bezels (the upper faceted portion of a gem projecting from the ring setting), and beads that show strong Greco-Roman influence.
Facts and Folklore
The chalcedony stone itself is not named as being in the High Priest's breastplate. That said, those within its family placed in the breastplate include agates, carnelians, the onyx stone and jaspers (Exodus 28). The cherub named Lucifer was adorned by God, upon his creation, with jaspers and the onyx stone (Ezekiel 28).
The name of this precious stone comes from the ancient city of Chalcedon, located in the Roman province of Bithynia, from where it is believed it was first discovered.
According to a U.S. Geological Survey article on Chalcedony, because of the stone's abundance and durability it was one of the earliest raw materials used by man. The first recorded uses of this stone were for projectile points (e.g. spears), cutting edges of knives and for fashioning bowls and cups
Chrysolite and chalcedony are the only two Bible gemstones, discussed in this series, that are recorded only once in the King James.
Chalcedony was used for green and yellow color in prehistoric cave paintings as in the Bhimbetka rock shelters. The stone was ground to powder form then mixed with water and animal fat, tree resin or gum before being used. (Rock Art of India).
An amulet with a carbuncle and a chalcedony gemstone in it was believed to protect sailors from drowning (Curious Lore of Precious Stones, page 39, 65).
This stone was also thought to drive away "phantoms" (ghosts) and night visions by dissipating the "evil humors" of the eyes, thus removing any disease which existed and stopping the apparitions (ibid.).
This Biblical gem is traditionally associated with peace, calmness, balance, and emotional harmony.