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Given the common occurrence of jasper -- and therefore its affordability -- jasper is referenced in Greek, Hebrew, Assyrian and Latin literature, as well as in writings of the Harappa culture of the Indus Valley. Small stones with engraved designs and inscriptions were widely used in the ancient world. A favorite of carvers, the many varieties of jasper were often used for amulets. At times worm as personal decoration, the amulet's more important function was as a protective or magical device, guarding the wearer against illness, disaster, demons or harm in the afterlife. For instance, Egyptians carved sacred scarab amulets from red jasper as a symbol of eternal life. An amulet of a serpent's head, typically out of a red stone like jasper or carnelian, kept the body from being bitten by snakes in the underworld by means of the power of the great snake-goddess Isis. One of the most famous Egyptian carvings in jasper is the partial bust of Queen Tiye carved from yellow jasper. From the second century AD onwards, lions were very often engraved on yellow jasper, presumably to render the natural color of the lion's mane. In the fourth century AD, jasper was thought to protect against droughts and bring about rain. Interestingly, some Native American tribes still use jasper in their rain-making rituals. At least *one Native American word for red jasper* means "rain bringer."**	seals, scarabs and statues fragment, yellow jasper bust, queen tiya photo: mma Ever since man learned to carve, jasper has been a favorite stone. It's documented use in what is now France dates back as early as 20,000 BC where it was used in the creation of ceremonial and decorative objects. Mentioned in the Bible, Job -- alluding to the value of wisdom versus two relatively common 'gems' -- said: "Coral and jasper are not worthy of mention." Jasper is also referenced as one of the stones in the breastplate of Aaron, the High Priest ("...in the fourth row, a chrysolite, an onyx and a jasper..."). Referenced again in the New Testament, jasper is listed as one of the foundation stones of the New Jerusalem. red jasper sculpture, Roman sacrifice photo: barak gallery It is, arguably, the ancient Egyptians, contemporaries of the Israelites, who have contributed the most jasper artifacts known to the modern world, respecting it as a treasured material. From ancient Egypt comes this poem about the Egyptian god Djeheuty (known as Thoth to the Greeks), God of Wisdom, Inventor of Writing, Patron of Scribes and Divine Mediator. My god Thoth is of precious stones He lights up the earth with his sparkle The moon disc on his head is of red jasper His phallus is of quartz. Thoth I fear nothing Since you became my strength. Frequently used for signet rings and seals, both of which served as a form of identification, jasper's commonness made it the affordable choice of many. about seals brown red jasper; egyptian amulet photo: university of michigan, taubman medical library Stone seals can be compared to the credit cards of today, since they were used to show that the owner of the seal was accepting responsibility in a specific transaction, or claiming ownership of a particular object. Engraved as seals, stones were intended to leave a unique impression when pressed into wax, clay or metal. Used to validate legal transactions such as contracts -- which in Egypt were usually written on papyrus -- after the contract was completed, and all witnesses had signed, the papyrus would be rolled up, folded, and tied with string. Pieces of clay would then be put across the strings, and each witness would stamp one of the pieces of clay with their seal, ensuring the contract would not be tampered with.
Throughout the ages, jasper has been an important shamanic tool: blue (connection to the afterworld), red (health, rebirth, concentration, self-discipline, energy, focus), yellow (protection in spirit travel), brown (protection, grounding). *Green jasper (jasper viridis)* was often used by the Chinese in place of jade in the mouth of the dead. Medieval physicians thought so highly of jasper that it was recommended for every pharmacy. One name for jasper in the Middle Ages was "the stone of warriors." According to Old Germanic legend, the sword hilt of Sigurd (also known as Siegfried) -- a legendary hero of Norse mythology and son of Sigmund the king -- was set with jasper. In Elizabethan England green jasper was known as the "spleen-stone" as it was thought to aide the stomach and spleen. It was also worn over the kidneys to prevent retention of urine (from urinary blockages).	protection and preventation hildegard von bingenuniversity of iowa, women's studies In the Middle Ages, jasper was said to quicken thought and action, and at the same time ensure caution and the avoidance of needless risk. Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179), a twelfth century abbess, theologian and healer, in her Subtleties of Diverse Creatures -- a treatise of natural history and the medicinal uses of plants, animals, trees and stones -- advised women to hold a piece of jasper in the hand during childbirth to guard against the evil that could come to the mother and child by demons of the air. Also worn by physicians in the Middle Ages to aid them in their diagnoses, jasper was thought to drive away evil spirits and cure fevers, dropsy, and epilepsy, as well as prevent snakebite. A piece of jasper, inserted under the skin of an epileptic by a surgeon, "was known to have prevented seizures for three years, after which time it fell out." Mottled jasper was thought to prevent drowning or death on or near the water. chinese carved dragon, red jasper, modern However, the word "jasper" has been used rather haphazardly throughout history and may not always be jasper as we know it today. In Crystal Power, Crystal Healing, author Michael Gienger, says: "The term jasper originates from the orient, and in the Middle Ages it meant the same as our word quartz. "The clear jasper mentioned in the Bible was probably rock crystal, the transparent green 'jasper' mentioned by Pliny was probably chrysoprase, and the jasper associated with Orpheus was mostly likely heliotrope, also mentioned by Hildegard von Bingen. "Today, things are not much different: colorful minerals that are hard to identify are often termed 'jasper'..."
Madagascar is a country famed as one of the world�s most prolific sources of gemstones and minerals. The Malagasy people are a mixture of Asians and Africans who have been on Madagascar for at least 1500 to 2000 years. In the past 800 years, Arabs, Indians and Portuguese traders have added to the mix. The Malagasy deposits of ocean jasper appear to be a mass of rhyolitic [volcanic] flow, from many thousands of years ago, which at some point silicated. As the silica cooled, it began to precipitate out of the magma, forming little spherical 'orbicular' balls. These balls are what give ocean jasper its 'sphere and orb' appearance. Botryoidal formations as well as white and deep green druse are also common. ("Botryoidal" is defined as having the form of a bunch of grapes; like a cluster of grapes, as a mineral presenting an aggregation of small spherical or spheroidal prominences.	oceanic orbs trio of ocean jaspers exhibiting 'spheres and orbs,' 'bands and blobs' The recent introduction of the newest stone in the jasper family -- a spectacular orbicular jasper -- may be as adventurous a story as there is in the gem trade. Known as "ocean jasper," this stone -- the product of one mine on Madagascar's remote northwest coast bordering the Indian Ocean near Marovato -- was only discovered after years of searching. In an area so isolated it has no roads and the only way it can be accessed is by boat, all ocean jasper mined here must be transported to a more developed area of Madagascar the same way -- by boat. remote marovato, northwest madagascar photo: lonely planet Furthermore, ocean jasper can only be observed and collected at low tide. Made up of 'rhyolitic' spheres or orbs, ocean jasper comes in an astonishing array of colors and color combinations: its background can be white, pink, green, red or yellow and it can be filled with pockets of white, yellow, red, pink, blue and green in combinations of 'bands and blobs.' Rick Hudson, travel writer and author, recounts an 'interesting tale' about the discovery of this new find by the current mine owner, Paul Obenich, in the June 2001 edition of BC Rockhounder. "Back in the 1950's, a buyer...was shown a few pieces by a prospector, but the latter couldn't remember where he'd got the material. After some confusion, it was...agreed that it came from a remote and rugged section of coastline...on the northwest side of the island. Not a very encouraging description to pinpoint the source! "In the 1977 edition of Grund's Mineral Encyclopedia, there was a photograph of the mythical jasper, but its source was still unknown. The mystery remained. Then, in 1998, Paul Obenich, owner of Madagascar Minerals, spent 45 days traveling up the coast, stopping at fishing villages and asking everyone he met if they knew of this striking rock. "...he found it, but in the most bizarre locality. ...the mystery of why the deposit had remained hidden for so long became clear when he discovered it was only accessible at low tide! Hence the new name -- ocean jasper."