Blue Lace Agate, Copper Beads Necklace, Bracelet & Earrings Set

Blue Lace Agates interlaced with Copper Bali Style beads, Heart Shaped Copper Beads & Swarovski Crystals. Clasp: Copper Bar & Toggle

This is for the set which includes:

1. Necklace
2. Bracelet
3. Earrings

Product Information:

Copper jewelry is an entirely separate subset of Costume Jewelry.  Not a precious metal in the modern sense of the word, but prehistorically speaking, copper could be considered the second most important discovery after fire!  Its discovery and usage allowed ancient civilization to step into the Bronze Age, a huge leap in the evolution towards Modern Man.  Over the millennia, copper jewelry has had significant uses for social, medical, and spiritual purposes.

Copper, named from the Roman supply source on the Island of Cyprus, was the first metal discovered by Prehistoric Man between 10,000 and 13,000 years ago.  It is the oldest mined mineral.  Copper beads dating to 9000 BC have been discovered in parts of modern day Iraq.  Methods for removing copper from the ore were established around 5000 BC. 
Between 3900 and 2500 BC, copper became a valuable mined item.  The amount of copper one used or possessed signified a higher social status.  By 2500 BC, the Egyptians employed jewelry makers to produce crowns and headdresses.  The highest of Egyptian officials oversaw the production of jewelry.  The jewelry makers were held in high esteem.  They were so highly regarded, that depictions of jewelry making were painted onto tomb walls.  Wealthy Egyptians wore copper jewelry and clothing with copper alloy fittings.

Copper became an important part of the medical, religious and spiritual rituals of Egyptian life, such as mummification.  Copper instruments were used during preparation of the mummy, and copper jewelry amulets were used during the reading from the Book of the Dead.

Alternate Names & Name Spellings: "Gem of Ecology", Blue Chalcedony Lace
Color(s): Light Blue with Delicate White Striping
Transparency: Opaque to Translucent
Description: Microcrystalline variety of chalcedony, Lacy Looking
Common Locations: Namibia, South Africa

Rock Lore & Tidbits: George Swanson discovered blue lace agate on his farm, Ysterputs Farm, in Namibia, which was called South West Africa at the time. He coined the term "Gem of Ecology" for it because of the swirling blues and whites which resemble clouds above the Earth (the fragile blue marble) as seen from space. The best blue lace agate in the world still comes from the narrow seam on George's farm.