Gemstones of the Bible

The 12 stones of the Foundation of the New Temple of Jerusalem, as mentioned in Revelations

A summary by J. Michael Howard

IT IS INTERESTING to note that although the ancients were not well versed in the science of mineralogy, they did know and have names for the many commonly used minerals and stones of their day. A number of these can be directly traced back to the mineral, gem, or type of stone they used. However, some are clouded, now and forever, by the veil of time. Lack of specific information about the characteristics, particularly color, is not available. So you will find much speculation in the literature. The translation of the original Hebrew language by the early Greeks and then translation by later writers from the ancient Grecian language has added to the confusion. The 12 stones mentioned in Revelations actually are earlier mentioned in Isaiah as three types in the verses:

"O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not confirmed, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colors, and lay thy foundations with sapphires.And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones."

It is perhaps easier to understand why 12 stones are mentioned in Revelations as 12 is an important number in the Bible. The 12 tribes of Israel. The 12 apostles. The 12 stones of the foundation of the New Temple of Jerusalem. Our best knowledge of the characteristics of these 12 stones come by considering the 12 stones of the Breastplate of the High Priest of Israel, each representing a tribe of Israel.

One of the earliest writers to associate with the apostles the symbolism of the 12 gems as given in Revelations is Andreas, bishop of Caesurae. For a long time, he was thought to have lived in the 5th century AD, but is now known to have lived in the last half of the 10th century AD. He gives a brief description of the 12 stones, which is recounted in George F. Kunz's book The Curious Lore of Precious Stones (1913). Please note: the names given below are the names as in Revelations, not necessarily what the stone would be called today:

The Jasper, which like the emerald is of a greenish hue, signifies St. Peter.

The Sapphire is likened to the Heavens (from this stone is made a color popularly called lazur) and signifies St. Paul.

The Chalcedony may well have been considered what we now call the carbuncle and represented St. Andrew.

The Emerald, which is of a green color, is nourished with oil, that its transparency and beauty may not change; this stone signifies St. John the Evangelist.

The Sardonyx, which shows a certain transparency and purity of the human nail, represents James.

The Sardius with its tawny and translucent coloring suggests fire and represents Philip.

The Chrysolite, gleaming with the splendor of gold, symbolizes Bartholomew.

The Beryl, imitating the colors of the sea and air, and not unlike the jacinth, suggests Thomas.

The Topaz, which is of a ruddy color, resembling somewhat the carbuncle, denotes Matthew.

The Chrysoprase, more brightly tinged with a gold hue than gold itself, symbolizes St. Thaddaeus.

The Jacinth, which is of a celestial hue, signifies Simon.

The Amethyst, which shows to the onlooker a fiery aspect, signifies Matthew.

On pages 289 - 301 of Kunz's book, we find information concerning the ancient names of the stones and what they are named today. In the following list, the ancient or biblical name is given, followed by the modern name in parentheses. They are:

Sardius (Carnelian), Topaz (Peridot), Chalcedony (Emerald), Emerald (Almandine garnet), Sapphire (Lapis Lazuli), Sardonyx (Onyx), Jacinth (Agate), Amethystos (Amethyst), Chrysoprase (Citrine), Agate(Agate), Jasper (Jasper), and Onyx (Turquoise).

Also in this book, we find the following information about each of these stones (the original Hebrew name is given in italics):

Sardius or Carnelian: Hebrew name of Odem. Carnelian is a translucent hard fine-grained variety of orangish red quartz, that has often been used for ring stones and wax seals.

Topaz or Peridot: Hebrew name of Pitdah. The Hebrew word appears derived from a Sanscrit word meaning yellow. Some theologians think it could have been serpentine. But the topazius of ancient writers almost always signified the gem variety of olivine called peridot.

Chalcedony or Emerald: Hebrew name of Bareketh. There is some confusion concerning this stone due to the fact that chalcedony is a milk-white fine-grained variety of quartz and the non-gem form of emerald (beryl) is typically a sea-green to grayish to white hard mineral that forms six sided elongate crystals. All emeralds are relatively uncommon in occurrence, whereas chalcedony is fairly common. Both minerals are relatively resistant to weathering and might be found in river gravels or on the surface of the ground. It is known that there were active emerald mines during this time providing this stone to Egypt.

Emerald or Garnet: Hebrew name of Nophek. The literal translation of the ancient Hebrew name means glowing coal. So this could not be the green stone we call emerald, but instead is thought to be a bright red variety of garnet: almandine.

Sapphire or Lapis Lazuli: The Hebrew name of Sappir. The sacred character of this stone was attested by the tradition that the Law given to Moses on the Mount was engraved on tablets of sapphire. This is not the blue sapphire we think of as the faceted gemstone, but instead the rich blue stone now relatively popular in jewelry known as lapis or lapis lazuli. It was well known and often used by the ancients as a blue paint pigment when ground to a powder. Much of what is now sold comes from Afghanistan.

Sardonyx or Onyx: Hebrew name of Yahalom. The traditional interpretation is onyx. Some Greek writers considered it to mean diamond as the translation of the Hebrew word means to smite or cut. But their is no evidence that the Hebrews knew of diamond. However, onyx was a well known stone which was carved into seals and used with wax. So the term to smite may mean to strike as with a seal on hot wax. Onyx is a fairly common soft stone, composed of calcium carbonate and deposited in caves. Much banded onyx today is cut and polished as inexpensive novelty items.

Jacinth or Agate: Hebrew name of Lesham. The name signifies the tribe of Joseph. Scholars have great disagreement on this stone as we have no good guide to know what it was for certain. Some think it could be amber. Others suggest a brown variety of sapphire. However, brown agate is known to have been commonly worn by the Hebrews during their early history and, therefore, would seem to have greater significance as one of the New Temple's foundation stones.

Amethyst: Hebrew name of Ahlamah. The Hebrew word is directly translated as amethyst. Abundant supplies of this violet to purple variety of crystalline quartz were available from both Arabia and Syria.

Chrysoprase or Citrine: Hebrew name of Tarshish. The original stone of the Hebrews came from Phoenician mines in what is now Spain. Black quartz crystal was heated until it turned a pale golden brown color. The Hebrew word literally means golden stone and was given to the region that produced it : Tartessus.

Agate: Hebrew name of Shebo. A banded variety of agate, commonly used by Egyptians, had distinctive gray and white alternating bands which would have contrasted well with the other varieties of fine-grained quartz.

Jasper: The ancient Hebrew name was Yashpheh. A translucent stone of green hue. Jasper has been known from early times as a fine-grained variety of quartz. It occurs in many different colors and hues, but green was particularly valued. An early variety discovered in India and still mined there today is called bloodstone. It is dark to medium green with small spots of red scattered throughout. It has been said that it originated when Christ's blood fell to the ground and was scattered on the rocks under the Cross, which is a nice story but was used and prized in India long before Christ's birth. However, many early Christians wore it to remind them of Christ's sacrifice.

Onyx or Turquoise: Hebrew name of Shoham. The Catholic translation is onyx, whereas the earlier translators considered this stone beryl. However, there is little to guide us. Some theologians have suggest this stone might have been malachite, a green stone well known to the Egyptians. However, the discovery of ancient turquoise mines on the Sinai Peninsula, which were worked by the Egyptians reveal the distinct possibility this stone was actually pale green or pastel blue turquoise.

There is another interesting reference source, a book by Max Bauer, originally published in German, translated into English entitled Precious Stones (1904, republished in 1968). The following information pertaining to possible sources of these stones was located in Bauer's book.

Carnelian would have come from India, where it is recovered as both river gravels and pebbles and from encrusting masses at the sites of its formation. Since it is a variety of quartz, it is relatively hard. Its color is due to the amount of iron present, strongly colored natural stones considered to be "masculine"whereas paler stones were thought to be "feminine". Carnelian is still recovered today from India. Almost all are heat treated to cause a more pronounced color as most are pale when mined or collected.

Peridot is the gem variety of olivine, a mineral that is commonly present in basaltic volcanic rocks. To be considered a gemstone, the mineral must be perfectly pure, clear, and transparent, and free of all flaws. Egypt is considered a possible source, especially Upper Egypt, east of Esneh between the Red Sea and the Nile.

The source of emerald was with no doubt mines which are located in Upper Egypt, not far from the coast of the Red Sea and south of Kosseir. These mines were extensively developed both as surface and underground excavations. Emeralds from here graced Cleopatra and other rulers of her time. The excavations were lost and forgotten for centuries, thought to be simply another legend. But excavations at Pompeii and Herculaneum uncovered emeralds from this source. They were re-discovered by Cailliaud, who with official permission, reopened them for mining in 1819. His mining attempt ended in failure, for at a later date, baskets of emerald-bearing rock were recovered where his miners left them. The site is 15 miles west of the Wadi Chamal, with 2 groupings of mines about 10 miles apart. There are 100s of shafts driven into the hill, which stands some 600 to 700 feet above the surrounding plain. Some of the individual mines are large enough to have held 400 men working at a time. Obviously, this was a type of labor relegated to slaves and/or criminals. The rock is a dark mica schist (metamorphic) and the average emeralds are of poor quality, but the mines probably produced some high quality stones, which went to the Egyptian rulers.

Almandine is a deep red variety of garnet with was called carbuncle by the ancients. The closest known source of any significance is India, where almandine has been produced from earliest times. Almandine is a mineral of metamorphic rocks, and it may be that ancient, now unknown, mines in Upper Egypt existed. No mention of any source closer than India is given in Bauer's book.

Lapis lazuli used by the ancient Egyptians is almost certainly from the early mines at Badakshan in the northeast corner of Afghanistan on the upper reaches of the River Oxus. Marco Polo first described this and nearby ruby localities as early as 1271 AD, but these mines had been worked for centuries before that. Their product reaching most of the early civilized world by well establish trade routes. The region is sill very remote. Mining still takes place by primitive methods. The "sapphire" that was carved into scarabs by Egyptian craftsmen were obviously lapis.

Onyx is a fairly soft stone, composed of calcium carbonate. It composes much of the common decorations in caves as the various types of formations. Onyx-alabaster is well known from the caves of Egypt and has been worked since ancient times. Cave-formation onyx has distinctive banding and is often pale yellowish tan in color.

Agate (brown) is a variety of fine-grained quartz. Brown agate owes its color to traces of oxidized iron scattered throughout the stone. It is not uncommon and stream pebbles of this stone would become translucent by contact with the skin, where they would pick up oils that would penetrate the stone. Agate is a common stone, filling the gas cavities (amygdules) in lava flows by the circulation of late silica-rich waters. India has tremendous sources of agate from the Deccan traps, a series of layered lava flows across 100s of square miles. I don't know of lava flows in Egypt or other countries in the Middle East, but there are likely some present which could have been the source of the brown agate of the Israelites.

Amethyst is a purple variety of crystalline quartz, very similar to our own colorless rock crystal. Amethyst commonly forms as linings and fillings of gas cavities in igneous rock in a manner similar to agate, but as crystals, not as coatings of silica. Again, I can find no source in the immediate area of the Middle East, but amethyst is occasionally recovered from India, but is not a particularly common mineral there.

Citrine is a yellow variety of crystalline quartz, similar to amethyst and rock crystal. The natural color may vary from brownish yellow to golden yellow to honey yellow to pale almost colorless yellow. However, it has been known from early times that by heating poorly colored or pale amethyst, you can produce golden to orange citrine. Natural crystals of citrine are truly uncommon. It is a mineral which again is sometimes encountered as infillings or crystals in gas cavities in lava flows. I could find no local source in the Middle East.

Agate (banded) may or may not exhibit banding, depending on the conditions of its formation. Banded agate is formed by periodic chemical changes in the water that is depositing it, resulting in color differences in each band. Often the layers appear to be like the growth rings of a tree, except forming from the cavity wall inward. Some cyclical banding, with repetitious pastel coloring is reminiscent of seasonal fluctuations or changes, perhaps of local ground-water conditions. Banding may also be related to fluctuations in hot springs systems. The nearest deposits appear to be India, being associated with basaltic lava flows.

Jasper today is usually considered to be an opaque stone, but translucent varieties of variously colored fine-grained quartz were probably also considered jasper in Biblical times. Jasper forms under many different conditions and has a wide variety of colors, patterns, and varietal names. A few varieties named for color include red jasper, blue jasper, yellow jasper, green jasper, and brown jasper. The strong coloration is due to a great amount of impurities incorporated into the stone during its formation. It is not uncommon in metal ore bodies, where the host rock is replaced by silica. Jasper is extremely common and was probably available from several local Middle Eastern sites.

Turquoise is a secondary mineral that forms where copper minerals have weathered. It is fine-grained, opaque, harder than many of the common copper minerals, and the best varieties have a beautiful robin's egg blue color. It was mined as a gemstone in ancient times on the Sinai Peninsula, the mines having been rediscovered in the 19th century. The most important mines for turquoise in the world are located in ancient Persia (presently Turkey). The mines have yielded high quality blue cutting material for over 2,000 years.

The last item to consider about the 12 stones is the significance of color. All have either strong color or are well patterned. The colors or patterns are, as recounted by Andreas (the 10th century bishop, remember?): green, blue, red, translucent tan, orange, golden, sky blue, purple. The colors of the stones have their own Christian symbolic meaning, as noted by Bauer (p. 273-274):

Green: Canonical color for use on Sunday. Hope, joy, and the bright promises of youth. One also thinks of constancy of the evergreen's foliage.

Blue and Sky Blue: An emblem of the Celestial regions and Celestial virtues. Not employed in the decoration of Churches normally. However, in Christian art, the Virgin, Saints, and Angels are often depicted in blue robes.

Red: This color is used in ceremonies concerned with the Pentecost, and at various religious feasts. It suggests and symbolizes suffering and martyrdom for the faith, and the supreme sacrifice of Christ upon the Cross. Divine love and majesty are also typified by this color.

Dull yellow or tan: The color has a connotation of treachery and envy. Hence Judas was dressed in a dull yellow or tan clothing. Heretics were required to wear clothing of this hue when they were condemned to the stake in Medieval times.

Orange and golden yellow: This color is emblematic of God's goodness and of faith and good works. The color of the sun from the beginning of man's recognition of things spiritual has had major significance.

Violet: A canonical color which is appropriate for use during Lent, and on Advent Sunday, along with Septuagesima and Quinquagesima Sundays. The chastening and purifying effects of suffering find expression in this color.

Two commonly encountered colors in stones are obvious in their absence from the 12 stones of the Foundation. They are white and black.

White symbolizes purity, of the Virgin, of saints, of the angels, and of innocence, faith, light, and life. No wonder it is the color for Easter and Christmas.

Black is a canonical color and symbolizes death, mourning, and sorrow inspired by death. It is only appropriate in Church on Good Friday, when it symbolizes the sorrow and despair of the Christian community at Christ's death.

As important, common, and symbolically significant as these colors are, I am surprised that they are not colors of any of the stones mentioned in Revelations. Because the stones were chosen for the 12 tribes of Israel before the birth of Christ, I can understand no Christian significance. However, because white is strongly associated with purity and righteousness and black being the opposite, perhaps these colors were intentionally left out so that no tribe of Israel would be considered of greater consequence than any other.

MINERALS CRYSTALIZE THOUGHTS

GOD LOVES YOU

Contact the authors of Rockhounding Arkansas Revised September 1998
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