Carnelian – Flame #3

Carnelian is a red variety of Agate, specifically the dark red to light orange variety. Carnelian’s colour is caused by iron traces throughout the mineral. The mineral is Cryptocrystalline, which means that it contains crystals, but they are not observable with the naked eye. Carnelian has been a popular decorative stone for a very long time; the first beads carved out of Carnelian were found in Bulgaria and date back to 11.000 B.C. The stone originates from hydrothermal activity; silica rich groundwater passes through the earth’s crust and deposits in cavities with enough space. The inclusions of the minerals are composed of iron oxides and hydroxides. If the stone is heated, the hydroxides turn to oxides and the colour turns more red. This is an often occurring treatment for Carnelian and is done to practically every stone. The name carnelian is derived from the Latin carnis which means ‘made of flesh’, referring to the fleshy colour.