The Specimen Library / Record
Bloodstone
Chalcedony / heliotrope
Dark green chalcedony with red markings: a small stone with an unusually memorable name.
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01 · The material
Natural History
Iron-oxide inclusions supply the familiar red markings. The pattern belongs to a silica-rich aggregate rather than a single large crystal.
02 · Observe
Under the Loupe
Red spots are useful clues, not a complete identification. Different green-and-red rocks may be sold with similar descriptive names.
03 · Ownership
Collect & Care
Protect engravings and polished edges. Avoid chemical tests on a finished stone; take an uncertain identity to a qualified examiner.
04 · The human story
History, Lore & Tradition
Documented history
Also called heliotrope, bloodstone remains an alternative March birthstone. Its religious legends should be distinguished from evidence of how the stone formed.
Sources & further reading
References are labeled by role. A source documenting a belief is not evidence of a medical or mineralogical effect. Reflection prompts are C&C editorial suggestions.
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