Onyx

Onyx is a hoe variety of chalcedony, a cryptocrystalline form of quartz. The colors of its bands range from white to almost every color (not including shades such as purple, blue, or black). Commonly, specimens of onyx available contain colors of white, tan, and brown. Sardonyx is a variant in which the colored bands are sard (shades of red) rather than black.

It is usually cut as a cabochon, or into beads, and is also used for intaglios and cameos, where the bands make the image contrast with the ground. Some onyx is natural but much is produced by the staining of agate.

The name has sometimes been used, incorrectly, to label other banded lapidary materials, such as banded calcite found in Mexico, Pakistan, and other places, and often carved, polished and sold. This material is much softer than true onyx, and much more readily available. The majority of carved items sold as 'Onyx' today are this carbonate material. [1]

Culture and historical/mythical usage

According to Rebbenu Bachya, the word Shoham in the verse Exodus 28:20 means "Onyx" and was the stone on the Ephod representing the Tribe of Joseph. There were also two Shoham stones on the shoulders of the Ephod.

In the Dreamlands, a fictional location in the works of the author H. P. Lovecraft, the palaces of Kadath are built of onyx.

The onyx is the stone for the zodiac sign, Virgo. It can be many different colors, but the ones with the reddish brown color is the preferred type.

See also

Template:Commons

• List of mineralsar:أونيكس

cs:Onyx de:Onyx (Mineral) es:Ónix fa:عقیق سلیمانی fr:Onyx (minéral) he:שוהם lv:Onikss lt:Oniksas nl:Onyx (mineraal) pl:Onyks pt:Ónix ru:Оникс fi:Onyksi sv:Onyx

Wikipedia information about Onyx This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Onyx". It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer). Help contribute to Americola and edit this article.