Jasper is a popular material well known for its variety of colours and patterns.
Due to impurities it's mostly opaque.
Many different types of jasper can be found around the world.
Trade names are often given to rocks and minerals particularly to stones whose scientific name is not particularly appealing.
"Jasper" is widely used because it's a popular and well known material
In many cases stones with the trade name "jasper" contain no jasper at all. Kambaba jasper and dalmation jasper are a perfect example.
The stone referred to as "iaspis" in ancient texts was long believed to be "jasper". Historians now believe "iaspis" was a different mineral.
IOLITE
