Beautiful handmade chandelier, featuring many colorful agate slices. Total height 52 cm.

Agate is a transparent, but sometimes opaque, variety of quartz and a subvariety of chalcedony. Its chemical structure is identical to that of jasper, flint, and chert, and it is often found with opal. The colourful, striped specimens are used as semi-precious stones. The name agate comes from the Greek Ἀχάτης, Achatès, the name of the present-day Dirillo River in southern Sicily, where agates and other chalcedony stones were found. Traditionally, agate was worn as a lucky stone or for healing. Agate was also made into utilitarian items, such as buttons. Agate is attributed with several medicinal properties, such as protection during pregnancy and relief from headaches, skin conditions, and balance disorders. According to various literature, agate is associated with the zodiac signs Aquarius, Taurus, Scorpio, and Gemini. Agate compounds form as a silica solution in cavities within older rocks. The stones can be artificially stained to achieve colour combinations more vibrant than those found in nature. Major sources of agate are Brazil, Uruguay, and the United States (Oregon, Washington, and around Lake Superior). Closer to the Netherlands and Belgium, agate is also found in the Hunsrück region of Germany.