Jasper is a popular stone known for its vibrant colours and striking markings.
Due to impurities, it's mostly opaque.
Trade names are often given to rocks and minerals, particularly those whose scientific names are not appealing.
'Jasper' is often used, albeit incorrectly, because it's a stone people are familiar with.
Many stones named 'Jasper' contain no jasper at all. Examples include Kambaba Jasper and Dalmatian Jasper.
In ancient texts, the stone referred to as 'iaspis' was long believed to be 'Jasper'. However, historians now believe it was a different stone.
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