STONE LIBRARY

Bloodstone

Typical Origin South Africa
Material Type Rock
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Bloodstone

MATERIAL OVERVIEW

The Material

African Bloodstone is a commercial name for silica-rich carving material with a grey-green to deep green, locally translucent base. White mineral areas and vivid red dots, patches or broader markings create a varied surface, sometimes accompanied by small metallic-looking points. Colour balance and pattern scale differ naturally between pieces.

Polishing can create a glassy-to-waxy surface that reveals the translucent areas and strengthens the contrast between green, white and red zones. Each cut exposes a different arrangement of the internal pattern, giving every finished sculpture an individual character. Natural fractures and boundaries between mineral-rich areas can influence the finer carved details.

VISIBLE CHARACTER

Finished Material Character

See how natural banding, colour variation, and surface character remain visible after carving and polishing.

Bloodstone
Banding in the Finished Form
Bloodstone
Colour and Surface Variation

MATERIAL NOTES

Reference

Material Type
Rock
Typical Origin
South Africa
Natural Variation
Expected from piece to piece

MATERIAL JOURNAL

Learn More About Bloodstone

Continue with a deeper note on the material, its visible character, and what to look for in a finished carving.

African Bloodstone: Mineral Identity, Red-Green Patterns, and Carving
READ THE MATERIAL NOTE

African Bloodstone: Mineral Identity, Red-Green Patterns, and Carving

A collector guide to African Bloodstone’s rugged red-green pattern, natural variation, symbolic presence, carving character and care.

Read Article

IN THE COLLECTION

Bloodstone Specimens

Explore current works carved from this material.

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