Picture Jaspers
If you were walking on the desert or hiking in the foothills, what would you do if you came across and amazing stone that had large yellow and red spots that reminded you of your garden poppies at home? You would probably want to name the stone “Poppy Jasper”. That’s what rock hound enthusiasts have done for years. The names Poppy, Picasso Marble, Dalmatian, Paintbrush, Rain Forest and Leopard Skin are all names that describe the large group of jasper know commonly as “Picture Jaspers”. Dalmatian Jasper is white with black spots while Leopard Skin Jasper is beige/pink with spots of black and yellow, resembling Leopard Skin.
Picture Jaspers have amazing colorations and designs. Jaspers are found in colors including red, brown, pink, yellow, green and shades of blue and purple. The organic material and mineral oxides in Jasper create interesting patterns. Because of the foreign materials, jasper is rarely uniform in color but commonly multicolored, striped or spotted, bands and colors. Many of the patterns resemble landscapes with mountain and valleys, so the name “picture” is part of the name of many well-known jaspers. One of these famous jaspers is Morgan Hill Poppy Jasper. It is jasper with red and yellow dots that resemble poppy flowers. Technically, it is brecciated jasper, meaning that it came from sun-dried and oxidized iron-rich clay; the cracks were then later filled in by other substances.
Place Name Jaspers
Although jaspers are found worldwide, a wide variety of named jaspers are found in the western areas of the United States. California, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Wyoming and Washington are well known for the place name jaspers such as Stone Canyon Jasper with its mustard yellow base and cream and purple banding. Others are Willow Creek, Owyhee, and Deschutes Jasper. Other popular jaspers are found in Germany, India, Russia, Pakistan, France and the USA as well as many other countries
Magical and Therapeutic Jasper
Jaspers have been to about every culture known to man. Many of these cultures have attributed magical powers to Jasper. Native Americans believe that jasper brings rain and in fact, the word for Jasper in some Native American cultures meant “rain-bringer”. Jasper was also used in Ancient European times as a "rain bringer".
Natural healers consider jasper useful as on overall healing gemstone. Wearing jasper was believed to provide protection, have a calming effect and give stability and security. It is thought to balance one’s physical, emotional and intellectual states.
In folklore, Poppy Jasper is thought to function like adrenaline, waking up and energizing areas of the body that appear to be sleeping. It is believed to encourage a deep connection with the life of the Earth. It inspires a positive, joyful attitude and gives the motivation and energy to take creative action. To natural healers, poppy jasper is a gemstone that was broken and healed. They consider this a very useful gem to help with blood disorders and heart problems. Poppy Jasper is also thought to enhance strength and willpower.
Storytelling
The folklore and cultural history surrounding Jaspers adds to the beauty of these amazing stones. Picture Jaspers could certainly inspire creative story telling and belief in their curative properties. Their beauty can be explained in geologic terms, but their colorful designs inspire and ask for more creative explanations. Jewelry designers often utilize the beauty of nature with its abundant color, pattern, shapes and forms, as original sources of inspiration. When visualizing new designs, artists will often create a "story" or a theme that helps to bring forward the passion or inspiration for a specific piece of jewelry. Then the piece is not just a necklace or bracelet but adornment to enhance the wearer.
No comments:
Post a Comment