Polished Carnelian Agate
Carnelian agate doesn't get much better than this. These striking stones exhibit a deep orange colour with contrasting white or reddish-brown bands.
They're wonderfully translucent, exhibit a vitreous lustre, and have been beautifully polished.
The history of carnelian can be traced back thousands of years. In the Islamic faith, the Holy Prophet Muhammad is believed to have worn a carnelian stone in a signet ring. Although commonly referred to as 'aqeeq', which can mean 'quartz' or 'agate', in religious texts, it's widely referred to as an "Abyssinian stone."
Abyssinia is modern-day Ethiopia, so there's a great deal of confusion surrounding its exact identification. Scholars generally believe it was carnelian.
The signet ring was worn to commemorate the removal of idols from the Grand Mosque in Mecca in 630 AD.
These carnelian stones make striking display pieces and may also be used for their metaphysical healing properties.
In the dropdown menu, these carnelian agate stones are numbered 1 to 10. In the first two photos, number 1 is closest to the twelve o'clock position. Numbers then run clockwise, ending with 7 in the centre.
In the second two photos, the stones are numbered from left to right 8, 9, and 10.
