Agate

AGATE

CREATIVITY OF NATURE AGATE FROM TURKEY,

Agates derives its name from greek agatec happy.According to another theory the word agate from the greek name of a stonefound in the achates river in sicily now know as the drillo river which stil remains a major source of this stone.

No gemstone is more creatively striped by nature than agate the extraordiary beauty and  uniqueness of agate is responsible for its great popularity.

agate was highly valued as atalisman or amulet in ancient times.

It was said to quench thirst and protect from fevers.

Persian magicians usde agate to divert storms.Afamous collection of two to four thousand agate bowls which was accumulated by mithradates king of pontus showa the enthusiasm with which agate was regarded.

Agate bowls were also popular in the byzantine ampire.collecting agate bowls became common among european royalty during the renaissance and many museums in europe including the louvre have spectacular examples.

Literally hundreds of agate types were coined with special variety names.most of these are hardly known and new ones are made up every year.most of these names have no scientific support.

The mining of agate in the nahe river valley in germany which was already documented in 1497 gave rise to the cutting center of ıdar oberstein germany originally the river was used to power the grinding wheels. When the nahe agate deposit was exhausted in the nineteenth century ıdar 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.

TECHNICAL INFORMATION :

Chemical Formula :SIO2

Composition : Silicon dioxide

Color : It occours in an infinite amount of colors and patterns,and no two Agates are alike...

Hardness : 7

Crystal Forms :( Hexagonal ) Agate is a chalcedony quartz that forms in cencentric layers in a wide variety of colors and textures agate mineral occurs botryoidal,mammilary,stalactitic,massive,noduler,as smooth rounded pebbles,as banded masses,and in geodes.It usually forms in rounded nodules or knobs which must be sliced open to bring out the internal pattern hidden in the stone.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.

Transparency : Transparent to opaque

Specific Gravity : 2.6 - 2.7

Tenacity : Brittle

In Group : Silicates;Tectosilicates;Silica group may also be classified as an oxide ( Oxides;Simple Oxides )