 No
gemstone is more creatively striped by nature than agate, chalecedony
quartz that forms in concentric layers in a wide variety of
colors and textures. Each individual agate forms by filling
a cavity in host rock. As a result, agate often is found as
a round nodule, with concentric bands like the rings of a tree
trunk. The bands sometimes look like eyes, sometimes fanciful
scallops, or even a landscape with dendrite trees.
Agate was
highly valued as a talisman or amulet in ancient times. It
was said to quench thirst and protect from fevers. Persian
magicians used agate to divert storms. A famous collection
of two to four thousand agate bowls which was accumulated
by Mithradates, king of Pontus, shows the enthusiasm with
which agate was regarded. Agate bowls were also popular in
the Byzantine Empire. Collecting agate bowls became common
among European royalty during the Renaissance and many museums
in Europe, including the Louvre, have spectacular examples.
The mining
of agate in the Nahe River valley in Germany which was already
documented in 1497 gave rise to the cutting center of Idar-Oberstein,
Germany. Originally, the river was used to power the grinding
wheels. When the Nahe agate deposit was exhausted in the nineteenth
century, Idar cutters started to develop the agate deposits
of Brazil, which also sparked exploration and discovery of
Brazil's rich deposits of amethyst, citrine, tourmaline, topaz,
and other gemstones.
Although
the small town of Idar-Oberstein is still known for the finest
agate carving in the world, today Idar imports a huge range
of other gem materials from around the world for cutting and
carving in Germany and Asia. Cameo master carvers and modern
lapidary artists flourish along with rough dealers who scour
the world for the latest gem discoveries for export. And the
entire industry sprung from the taste for agate bowls and
ornaments during the Renaissance! Maybe agate is also a powerful
talisman for success in international trade!
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