Bloodstone: the martyr's gem
Bloodstone, green jasper dotted with bright red spots of iron oxide, was treasured in ancient
times and served for a long time. It is the birthstone for March. This absorbing chalcedony quartz is also known as heliotrope because in old 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.
In the middle Ages, Bloodstone was attributed special powers as the spots were thought to be the blood of Jesus Christ. Christians often used bloodstone to carve scenes of the crucifixion and martyrs, for which reason it was also dubbed the martyr's stone. Go by the lore about the source of bloodstone, it was first created when drops of Christ's blood fell and stained some jasper at the foot of the cross.
Today, bloodstone is used as a medicine and aphrodisiac in India. Perhaps that explains why it is now rather difficult to find fine bloodstone on the market. Though not meant to replace traditional medical treatment, Bloodstone is used to help one become more knowledgeable in the ways of the world. Bloodstone is mined in India, Australia, and the United States.