Cinnamon Creations - Birthstones - Jasper

Birthstones - Jasper

 

Landscape in a Stone

 

Jasper is an ornamental rock composed mostly of chalcedony, microcrystalline quartz, in association with other minerals, which give it colourful bands and patterns. Jasper was a favourite gem in the ancient world; its name can be traced back in Hebrew, Assyrian, Persian, Greek and Latin.

The Tribe of Assher

On the Breastplate of Aaron the Jasper represented the tribe of Assher. In the Masoretic text of Exodus 28:20 it is reflected in the Septuagint by the word Iaspis, and usually translated into English as Jasper.

 

Despite the most common form of Jasper being red, scholars think that the yashepheh here actually refers to a green form of Jasper - which was very rare, and so highly prized; the Greeks used Iaspis to refer to the green form, while the red form simply fell under the term Sard - which just means red.

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