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onyx - the fingernails of venus
Called the "stone of sadness" by the ancient Chinese, it was believed that even entering a mine where onyx could be found might lead to terrifying dreams, doubts, and disputes.
Thought in the Middle Ages to bring bad luck, sadness, fear and images of madness in sleep -- as well as incite discord and dispute, onyx got a thoroughly bad rap, gaining the sobriquet "stone of egotists."
According to Genesis, onyx was found in the land of Havilah -- "where the gold is" -- thought to be in Egypt or possibly Arabia.
 wisdom...or onyx?

high priest
photo: heaven sent designs

A precious commodity in Old Testament times, the Book of Job says, "Job regarded God's wisdom as a greater possession than even costly onyx." Onyx is also frequently cited as one of the stones in the breastplate of the High Priest, Aaron ("...in the fourth row, a chrysolite, an onyx, and a jasper...").
However, some Biblical scholars believe that every stone in the breastplate is conjecture as stone names and descriptions were haphazardly described until relatively recently.
Rabbi Dr. Michael Samuel notes in his article "Breastplate stones and tribal affiliation" that "the Vulgate [Catholic] translates the second stone of the fourth row (called shoham in the original Hebrew) as sardonyx, a red and white variegated stone. And, the New English Bible renders shoham as carnelian, [a stone] frequently found in the desert."
In India, onyx is thought to help concentration levels in absentminded people, calm a chaotic life, and dampen the ardors of love. Onyx is also worn to protect against the evil eye as some believe it has a trapped demon within it.
Because onyx doesn't stick to wax, the Romans often used the stone in the form of intaglio, carving the pattern of the seal in negative relief, thus giving a raised print that could be used as a 'stamp' or signatory seal.
Although fingernails aren't black, in Greek times almost all colors of chalcedony -- from fingernail white to black and everything in-between -- were referred to as 'onyx.' The Romans eventually applied the term to describe black and dark brown colors only.
 cupid's clippings

eagle cameo,
roman 27 bc
kunsthistorisches museum

Onyx, the word used by the Romans for a variety of stones, including alabaster, chalcedony, and what is now known as onyx marble, was very popular with both the Greeks and the Romans.
Onyx's name is derived from the Greek word for "fingernail" -- an allusion to its weak transparency.
impish cupid One day, small winged Cupid -- Roman god of love and son of Venus -- came upon his sleeping mother, the Roman goddess of love and beauty.

In a mischievous mood, he cut Venus' fingernails while she was sleeping, leaving the clippings scattered on the ground.

So that no part of Venus would ever perish, the Moirae -- the goddesses who controlled the destiny of everyone from the time they were born to the time they died -- turned the translucent clippings into onyx.