This necklace is composed of modern hematite
and onyx beads.
One of the important ores of iron, the red
ferric oxide hematite takes its name from the
Greek word for blood, because when the
surface of the stone is scratched it appears to
be bleeding. The gem takes on several forms
and colors, the most common of which are red
and metalic-grey. Since earliest antiquity,
hematite has been prized for its potent
protective qualities. The Egyptians and the
Persians in particular used the stone in a
talismanic capacity. Because of its assoications
with the blood, hematite is believed to
alleviate hemorrhage, and to stimulate the
iron in the human circulation system, thus
relieving fatigue. In ancient Egypt, amulets
made from hematite were used to protect the
head from injury, and were frequently formed
in the shape of a miniature headrest or pillow.
It was also felt that hematite gave courage to
the wearer, and warriors frequently rubbed
the stone over their bodies before battle to
make themselves invincible. According to a
treatise on gems written in the first century
BC by Azchalias of Babylon, hematite procures
for the wearer a favorable issue of lawsuits
and judgements. The gem's mysterious
physical properties--it seems part stone, part
metal--make it as appealing to the modern
eye as it has always been throughout history.
A gem of contrasts, onyx is chalcedonic quartz
frequently layered in different shades of
contrasting color, most commonly polar
opposites of black and white. Found in both the
Old and new worlds, onyx were used by the
Classical Greeks and Romans to carve cameos
and other personal jewelry, and by the tribes of
ancient Mexico to make masks and sacred ritual
objects. Alexander the Great particularly favored
onyx and many small cameo portraits of him
survive from antiquity, when they were thought
to bring good fortune of this fable ruler to the
wearer. The gem is mentioned in the Old
Testament Book of Exodus as figuring
prominently in the breastplate of the High Priest.
Its lustrous, rich polished surface—usually of
deepest ebony black, rich green, or very pure
white—makes it highly desirable stone for
modern jewelry. The chief virtue of onyx as an
amulet is that it seems to attract and absorb
negative humors from the body of the wearer,
causing relief from both physical pain and
mental anxiety. Black onyx is especially thought
to have unique properties, as black suggests
both the presence of all colors and the absent of
light. For that reason, it serves as a buffer from
pain, a defensive wall against evil and illness.
