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Jasper is an opaque, impure variety of quartz that is usually red, yellow or brown in color. This mineral breaks with a smooth surface, and is often used for ornamentation or as a gemstone. It can be highly polished and is used for vases, seals, and at one time for snuff boxes. When the colors are in stripes or bands, it is called striped or banded jasper. The Egyptian pebble is a brownish-yellow jasper.

1 Etymology

The name means "spotted stone", and is derived from Anglo-French jaspre, from Old French jaspe, from Latin iaspidem, the accusative of iaspis, from Greek iaspis, via a Semitic language (cf. Hebrew yashpeh, Akkadian yashupu), ultimately from Persian yashp.

2 See also

• List of mineralsThis page is intended as a list of all minerals. Sorted by name: External Links A Abelsonite Abenakiite-(Ce) Abichite (not a valid species) Actinolite Agate (not a valid species variety of quartz) Alabaster (not a valid species variety of gypsum or calcit
• CarnelianCarnelian is a red or reddish-brown variety of chalcedony. The word is derived from the Latin word meaning flesh, in reference to the flesh color sometimes exhibited. See also: list of minerals Minerals Quartz varieties.
• SardSard is a reddish-brown chalcedony, SiO, much used by the ancients as a gemstone. Pliny states that it was named from Sardis, in Lydia, where it was first discovered; but the probably name came with the stone from Persia (Pers. sered, yellowish-red).