Bloodstone

    The original birthstone for March is Bloodstone, dark green dotted with bright red spots of iron oxide. This attractive chalcedony quartz is also known as heliotrope because in ancient times, polished stones were described as reflecting the sun: perhaps the appearance of the gem reminded the ancients of the red setting sun, mirrored in the ocean. The name Heliotrope is derived from the Greek words meaning "sun" and "turning" because of a notion that when the stone is immersed in water it would turn the sun red.

    Medieval Christians often used bloodstone to carve scenes of the crucifixion and martyrs. According to the legend about the origin of bloodstone, it was first formed when drops of Christ's blood fell and stained some jasper at the foot of the cross. For this reason, too, the stone has been called "martyr's stone."

    The bloodstone has been associated with not only healing, but also wealth, courage, and strength, among other things. Babylonian warriors carried bloodstone into battle with them to give them strength to overcome their enemies. The Egyptians used bloodstone in rituals to break many different kinds of bonds. However, this stone's most famous use is to stop bleeding. This is why it has almost always been a warrior's stone. It was thought that this stone, when pressed over an open wound on the battlefield, would magically stop the bleeding. It is unlikely that the stone itself stopped the bleeding of an open wound, though. It was more likely the pressure applied using the stone that caused this magical action. Among its other uses, bloodstone was thought to prevent miscarriage and was used during birth to ease labor pain.

    Bloodstone is found in Australia, Brazil, China, India, Kathiawar Peninsula and the USA (Wyoming). You should protect your bloodstone from scratches, sharp blows, harsh chemicals and extreme temperatures. The polish will be removed if you get this type of stone wet.  Bloodstones should also be kept away from environments that could be exposed to drastic temperature changes.