A tall order for one small gemstone

Carnelian is a variety of Chalcedony, a member of the Quartz family. It is actually a milky Quartz that comes in varying colors, the most popular of which are deep red and oranges. Carnelian obtains those colors from iron oxide.

Carnelian comes in beautiful orange hues

Carnelian’s deep reddish and oranges hues has made it a trendy accessory in the modern fashion world. It also is a popular type of bead when it comes to jewelry making. However, carnelian did not just jump onto the scene. It has been part of different civilizations throughout the history of man.

It was around long before Brightlings Beads featured such a wide selection of beautiful carnelian.

The ancient Romans revered carnelian as the ‘stone of courage.’ It was during the reign of the Roman empire when carnelian received its name. Carnelian comes from the Latin word, which means ‘flesh.’

Prior to that in ancient Egypt, it was simply 'a semi-precious gemstone not yet known as carnelian.'  But it was incorporated into the ancient Egyptians belief system. However, they did not refer to it as ‘the semi-precious gemstone not yet known as carnelian.’ 

They did believe there was an association between carnelian and solar imagery. Carnelian was also found in the tomb of the famed Egyptian King Tutankhamen.

Egyptians and Romans were not the only societies that used carnelian. Napoleon I and Napoleon III both were proud wearers of carnelian. Chances are, those Napoleons were not prancing down a runway modeling carnelian because of its great fashion sense.

During that era, carnelian continued to symbolize courage. It was believed to help those who needed the courage to speak. Many people speaking in public forums often carried carnelian with them for that very reason.

Some of Brightlings Beads darker carnelian

As time moved forward, more lure began to come along with carnelian. Some believe in its power to boost energy while others have turned to carnelian when it comes to trying to increase their sexual energy.

Its healing properties do not stop there. Dr. Carnelian has also been said to help with blood diseases and can even help in stopping a pesky nose bleed. It has also been used to help speed up the healing process for cuts and abrasions.

Carrying carnelian has been known in some circles to improve one’s outlook on life as well helping one’s memory. To prove that theory, some people have held carnelian in their hands whenever they have forgotten something. They would then stop trying to remember whatever it is they have forgotten and at some point, their lost memory would return.

All of these uses and healing methods seem like quite a tall order for one small stone. But carnelian has been passed down through generations and that kind of longevity must have netted some pretty favorable results along the way.