Heliotrope (mineral) Heliotrope (mineral) The mineral aggregate heliotrope (from Greek ἥλιος, "hḗlios" “Sun”, τρέπειν, "trépein" “to turn”), also known as bloodstone, is a variety of jasper or chalcedony (which is a cryptocrystalline mixture of quartz). The "classic" bloodstone is green jasper (chalcedony) with red inclusions of hematite. The red inclusions are supposed to resemble spots of blood, hence the name "bloodstone". The name "heliotrope" derives from various ancient notions about the manner in which the mineral reflects light. These are described, e.g., by Pliny the Elder ("Nat. Hist." 37.165). Heliotrope was called "stone of Babylon" by Albert the Great and he referred
Birthstone American Gem Trade Association and Jewelers of America added spinel as an additional birthstone for August. Britain's National Association of Goldsmiths created their own standardized list of birthstones in 1937. Eastern cultures recognize a similar range of gemstones associated with birth, though rather than associating a gem with a birth month, gemstones are associated with celestial bodies, and astrology is employed to determine the gemstones most closely associated with and beneficial to a particular individual. For example, in Hinduism there are nine gemstones associated with the "Navagraha" (celestial forces including the planets, the sun, and the moon), known in Sanskrit