The ancient Greeks attributed to him the ability to turn the sun. Otherwise they called it - the stone of the sun. Translated from Greek "helios" means the sun, and "trope" - turn. But, as we know, the stone cannot turn our star. But the flower, also called heliotrope, during the day follows the "turn" of the sun, or rather constantly turns to the sun.

Heliotrope is otherwise called a blood stone for red blotches on its dark green surface. In some countries, such a stone is called Stephen's stone, or the stone of Christ. Both names are associated with blood - in the first case, the First Martyr Stephen, and in the second, Christ the Savior.



It is sometimes called "blood jasper". But it has nothing to do with jasper. Heliotrope can have different colors, depending on the inclusions that create amazing fantastic pictures, which is probably why it got its name.

Heliotropes with yellow blotches are called plasma. The main color of heliotrope is dark green or blue-green, the color can be so dark, almost black. The stone has a waxy or resinous luster, and a well-polished one is glassy.



Reds and greens are created by iron oxides. Its hardness on the Mohs scale is 6.5-7 units. The stone with such hardness is quite fragile.

Deposits of heliotrope

Deposits of heliotrope are located in India, Egypt, Russia (Ural Mountains), America, Australia, there are small deposits in Brazil and China.


Heliotrope is easy to process, more often cut in the form of a cabochon or table is used. Products made from heliotrope have a long history. Goblets, figurines and other similar items were made of stone to decorate the interior. Many were found during excavations, among them gems, cameos, rings, the most common were men.



Today jewelers make from heliotrope jewelry for women and men... Men's seals and bracelets are very beautiful. Beads, brooches and pendants with heliotrope are magnificent. The stone looks beautiful in gold and silver, but, as connoisseurs of the magical properties of heliotrope recommend, the best frames for it are iron, steel and brass. Heliotrope is an inexpensive stone, so counterfeits are rare. Usually they can be plastic or glass imitations.

Care and storage of heliotrope

Since the stone is quite fragile, it must be handled carefully, it can crack when dropped. Products made of heliotrope should not be left exposed to sunlight, it may lose its original color. It is better to store it in a box, and not to be with the decoration under the sun for a long time. The stone does not need contact with cosmetics and household chemicals, it can fade and lose shine. You can clean the heliotrope with warm soapy water, wiping gently with a napkin.




Gems and seals preserved in museums say that the heliotrope had a magical meaning. There are many such exhibits in the Hermitage. It used to be called a stone pharaohs, emperors and kings, since according to legend, the heliotrope gave the owner power over the minds of people, he was called the stone of the winners.

Only people with a strong will, confident and purposeful could wear it. This is exactly how the stone helped to achieve success, wealth, fame. As for love, this is not a topic for heliotrope. According to the ancient magicians, the stone will protect its owner from this feeling.

And also, according to legends, this stone was able to open mysteries of the cosmos... Priests, sorcerers and shamans with its help tried to control the natural elements. Legends and traditions tell us that with the help of the stone ancient magicians caused rain, thunderstorms, hurricanes ...



Modern lithotherapists are of the opinion that there is undoubtedly help from heliotrope in restoring human health. They confirm the influence of the stone on the circulatory and immune systems, in the treatment of diabetes mellitus, rheumatism, anemia, stress and depression. Heliotrope also helps cleanse the blood of toxins, normalizes the work of the gastrointestinal tract.

As for astrologers, they recommend wearing a heliotrope for Cancers and Sagittarius, claiming that it is these signs that the stone will be of great benefit. Other signs should be careful, since a stone, influencing certain properties of a person's character, can strengthen or weaken some.

But if you like the stone, try to make friends with it. A stone with unique patterns will delight the eye.