This wonderfully stripy gemstone comes in many different colours and textures. They can have many patterns in the way that the stripes have been created. Sometimes they are circular, just like a tree. They can also look like little eye and sometimes they have very pretty scalloped edges.
Agate was used, in ancient times, as a amulet to help protect fevers and dry mouths. It was also said to help in diverting storms, which the Persian magicians used hundreds of years ago.

The Mithradates, King of Pontus, had famously collected between 3 - 4 thousand bowls mage entirely of agate. Agate was also extremely popular with the Byzantine Empire. During the Renaissance, collecting agate bowls became very popular among Royalty in the European cities. Next time you visit the Louvre be sure to check out the amazing agates they have on show.

The Nahe River valley in Germany, was documented in 1947 as a mining valley. But these mines were completely tapped out and in the 19th century, so the cutters and carvers went over to Brazil. Brazil was a great natural source of beautiful gemstones including, Citrine, Topaz, Amethyst, Agate. The small town of Idar-Oberstein was and still is very well known for the best carving of Agate in the world and imports a very large collection of other beautiful gemstones to Germany and even Asia for cutting.