History
Picture this: As far as you can see, the landscape is filled with mountains that rise one beyond the other, like some John Ford western film. Picture jasper is most reminiscent of the dusty Old West’s vast sandy expanse with golden brown and red stone “mountains” rising like ancient castles from it.
Jasper is an opaque chalcedony that comes in a wide variety of colors. The term “jasper” itself comes from the Greek work iaspi, meaning “spotted stone.” Jasper is a gemstone that has been used all over the world. The ancient priests of Egypt carved jasper into beautiful jewelry while the Minoans used jasper for seals. While jasper is widely available today, the gemstone was once treasured as a valuable stone.
Like all jasper, the rich designs and colors of this opaque chalcedony first made it a highly popular ornamental material for vases, mantels, etc. Today it’s an ideal gemstone for jewelry with a southwestern look.
Metaphysical Properties
Picture jasper is a landscape stone that’s believed to help us find our place in the world. When we’ve stepped off the path or gone down a path we never intended, picture jasper is thought to give the time and space alone to sort through things. This stone is also thought to aid inner silence and strengthen the recall of early memories, so they can be understood and processed. Among practitioners of gemstone healing, picture jasper is a powerful grounding stone that promotes connection to the earth.
Some view this stone as a direct message from the Earth itself, instilling a sense of proportion, bringing comfort, alleviating fear and cultivating harmony. Although it is not an official birthstone, picture jasper is affiliated with the astrological sign Leo.
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