If the iron has oxidized during formation, the Jasper gemstone can look green and manganese can cause the blue colors. The most common impurity is iron which gives Jasper its red, brown and yellow hues. Jasper is a type of Chalcedony but contains a high percentage of other material, up to 20 per cent, and it is this that gives this gemstone its color variations. The colors are not restricted to just one, Jasper tends to have two, three or even more colors on the same gemstone. Jasper gemstones can come in almost any color but do tend to be earthy tones reds, browns, oranges, yellows and greens are the most common although blues and purples are not unheard of. Nowadays, with scientific help, we can identify it a bit more easily (although it is still a tricky customer) and with discoveries of Jasper all over the world it is quite affordable yet no less beautiful. In ancient times it was considered very rare and precious but was probably confused with other gemstones such as jade, nephrite and carnelian. It is mentioned several times in the bible and was fashioned into tools, seals, beads and ornaments from the Harappan Empire in the Indus River valley to the Minoan Kingdom of the Greek Island of Crete. These unique colors and patterns plus its hardness and polish have made it a favorite gemstone for millennia, used by Ancient Egyptians and Greeks. The swirling patterns, the flecks of color, daubs of red, green and yellow, the woody or organic looking patches all make this a truly unique gemstone. The word Jasper means spotted or speckled stone and when you see the huge variety of gemstones that appear under this name you can understand why. Natural Jasper Gemstones Jasper Introduction
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