Carnelian

Carnelian (also spelled cornelian) is a semi-precious gemstone belonging to the group of silica minerals called chalcedonies, which in turn is a part of the quartz family. Iron oxide particles in the crystal structure give carnelian its characteristic hue which can vary from translucent orange to red to brown. Dark and hard carnelian is often referred to as sard.

Global Sources

Although first discovered in France and England, the majority of commercial carnelian nowadays comes from Indonesia and India. Its gem-quality sources are also found across Brazil, Egypt and Russia.

Behind the Name

The original name ‘cornelian’ comes from Latin ‘cornum’ which literally translates into ‘cornel cherry’ – a translucent red fruit closely resembling the reddish chalcedony. The Oxford English Dictionary calls ‘carnelian’ a sixteenth century perversion of the word ‘cornelian’, by ensuing analogy with the Latin word ‘carnis’, which means ‘flesh’. According to Roman author Pliny the Elder, sard derived its name from the city of Sardis in Turkey from which it came, and according to others, may ultimately be related either to the Persian word ‘sered’, meaning ‘yellowish red’ or to Greek word ‘sarx’, which translates into ‘flesh’.

Prehistoric Roots

Carnelian has been used for decorative purposes since at least the Early Neolithic (10,000–4,500 BC). During excavations taking place in the region of today’s Bulgaria, the archaeologists discovered Chalcolithic faceted carnelian beads with holes drilled into them – most likely meant to be worn as jewellery. Carnelian was also recovered from Bronze Age Minoan layers at Knossos on Crete in a form that demonstrated its application in decorative arts; this use dates to approximately 1,800 BC.

Religious Attribute

There are many myths surrounding carnelian. According to the ancient Egyptians, the red stone held significant powers in the afterlife and would help departed souls in their journey after death. That is why the tombs of the wealthiest people in the Nile Delta would often be furnished with amulets or jewellery made from the gem. Romans believed that different shades of carnelian represent opposite sexes: dark embodied masculinity, light femininity. For some, the red colour of the stone symbolised carnelian’s ability to heal wounds and stop bleedings. The Bible mentions it as one of the twelve gems set in the foundation of the city of Jerusalem (Revelation 21:19-21), and as the first stone in the High Priest Aaron’s breastplate (Exodus 28:15-30). Due to its resistance to the hot wax, carnelian was widely used to make intaglios for signets and seal rings that allowed to imprint bearer’s seal or coat of arms in wax on important documents and correspondence. Historical carnelian seals can be found anywhere in the world, from Middle East, through Germany and France, to the United States.

Treatments

Majority of carnelian currently available on the market has been treated or synthesized; heating is often employed in order to deepen the hue of natural stones, or to turn ordinary chalcedony red. Artificially coloured agate is very popular, although it is quite easy to differentiate between natural and dyed carnelian: the former having rather cloudy appearance as opposed to visible colour banding on the latter.