STONE OF HARMONY AND BALANCE

Agate

Ancient civilizations valued the Agate for its beauty and positive energy that soothes human minds and bodies.  Agate represents harmony and balance, making it ideal for home decoration.

Agate is formed within lava, mainly found around areas with high volcanic activity.  Agate was named after the Achates River in Sicily, Italy, by Theophrastus, a Greek philosopher and naturalist who discovered the rock along the bank of the Achates in the 3rd century.  That river is now called the Dirillo river.

The agate is more than just a captivating stone.  From its origins in ancient riverbeds to modern-day, the agate inspires those who 'ooh and aah' about the splendor of the natural world.  Seeing the inside of an agate, like the photo above, gives one a glimpse into the absolute wonders of planet Earth.  Note how the agate is made up of layers in various colors, transparency and thickness, making each semi-precious gemstone different.

In 1969, the Minnesota Legislature declared the Lake Superior Agate to be the state's official gemstone.  Lake Superior Agate differs from other agates found around the world in its rich red, orange and yellow coloration.  This banding pattern of color is caused by the oxidation of iron that seeps into the water.   Moose Lake, Minnesota, is known as the Agate Capital of the World and celebrates Agate Days each year in July.