Mariam (aka Indian Script Stone, aka Arabic Script Stone, aka Elephant Skin Jasper) is a difficult stone to find information on. After hours of reasearch, I have learned a few things about it, some of which are contradicted in various places. It is sometimes referred to as a Jasper, and other times is claimed to be fossil shell fragments in a Hematite matrix, and one site even claimed it was fossil grass, which seems unlikely. One site referred to it as Astrate Siliceous Sodalite, but following up on this produced no results even in large mineral databases.

One thing seems consistent about the stone--it comes from India.

When cutting the stone, I have noticed that the (shell fragments?) seem harder than the matrix, so it is difficult to get a consistent finish on the cab. The softer part tends to undercut. Either way though, its patterns make for beautiful and unusual finished stones.