Madagascar agate

The agate stone was named after the Greek philosopher who first stumbled upon it on the shores of the Sicilian river of Achates almost 2,500 years ago. This appealing stone had been treasured by people for centuries before it was given the name “agate”, named for the waters in which it was discovered in modern times.Agate can be traced back to early artistic pieces or “hard carvings” and for this reason it was extracted from many ancient sites all the way back to the Bronze Age. The most impressive pieces are carved decor, statuary and vases.Agate stone is formed out of the pockets inside volcanic rocks or old lava flow when the crevices, nodules and cracks fill with deposits of silica over the ages.The stone itself is distinguished by impressive shades of natural colors and contrast in the band patterns it contains.The characteristic band patterns—which begin at the center of the rock and move outwards like the rings on a tree—are visually dynamic. Each band is made up of different compositions of minerals, which can often be identified by the various colors present.

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