Tibetan Pema Raka Carnelian, Agate, and Silver Pendant Necklace. Figural shape on pendant. 

Size: 11 1/2 in. 

#7112 . 

Carnelian (also spelled cornelian) is a brownish-red mineral commonly used as a semiprecious stone. Similar to carnelian is sard, which is generally harder and darker, but the difference is not rigidly defined, and the two names are often used interchangeably in various markets. Both carnelian and sard are varieties of the silica mineral chalcedony, colored by impurities of iron oxide. The color can vary greatly, ranging from pale orange to an intense almost-black coloration. It has been found all over the world, and the red variety in particular has been used to craft beads since the Chalcolithic Period, with faceted carnelian beads discovered in the Varna Necropolis dating to the middle of the 5th Millennium BC. One of the earliest surviving complete pieces was recovered from Bronze Age Minoan layers at Knossos on Crete dating to approximately 1800 BC. Carnelian became widely used during Roman times to make engraved gems for signet or seal rings, as hot wax does not stick to carnelian. Although now the more common term, “carnelian” is a 16th Century corruption of the 14th Century word “cornelian.” “Cornelian” itself derived from the Latin word "cornum" for the cornel cherry, whose translucent red fruits resemble the stone. It is likely the color of the gem and religious stances against decadence led to the development of the term “carnal” to describe “lustful” and “immoral” acts, as well as a drop in the popularity of the stone in conjunction with the decline of civilization in Europe throughout of the Dark Ages. In Asia, the mineral continued to be popular, with Indian Pema Raka beads (Pema being the sanskrit word for “Lotus flower” and Raka meaning “red” or “blood”) used in jewelry and ceremonial accouterments continuously since around 2600 BC.