Bloodstone | Brooches | Cabachon | Cairngorm | Garnet | Lapis Lazuli |
gold-etched Onyx | Torc |
Bloodstone
Duke of Arjenol, Maheal's seal ring was carved from Bloodstone:
Bloodstone, green jasper dotted with bright red spots of iron oxide, was treasured in ancient times and long served as the birthstone for March. This attractive chalcedony quartz is also known as Heliotrope because in ancient times polished stones were described as reflecting the sun: perhaps the appearance of the gem reminded the ancients of the red setting sun reflected in the ocean.
Medieval Christians often used bloodstone to carve scenes of the crucifixion
and martyrs, leading it to also be dubbed martyr's stone. The legend of
the origin of bloodstone says that it was first formed when some drops
of Christ's blood fell and stained some jasper at the foot of the cross.
Source: http://www.jewelrycentral.com/Target_Bloodstone.html
Dhugal wears a ring brooch on his Tartan for his investiture as Earl of Transha.
Annular or Ring Brooch
At one time Morgan is said to be wearing a penannular brooch that his mother gave him.
Penannular Brooch
Some traditional Celtic brooch forms
that are
enjoying renewed
use are the annular and the penannular brooches. The terms
for these brooches
are frequently confused. These brooches are designed with the pin
crossing a circular
opening so that it works rather like a belt buckle. The penannular
brooch has a break
in the ring so that the pin may pass through and be twisted to lock it.
The annular or
ring brooch is more secure and works by pulling a gather of cloth through
the center and
then pinned through. People who delight in old fashioned and authentic
accessories prefer
these. Many people find these brooch forms awkward to attach and so
they are often
now made (shudder!) with fixed pins and modern safety catches on the back.
The most famous
Celtic brooch is the Tara Brooch, now in the Irish National Museum. The
Tara Brooch is
actually a pseudo-penannular brooch. It looks like a penannular in its
shape but since
the ring is solid it cannot attach in the same way.Medieval annular
type designs influenced
later plaid brooches in that they are frequently round. Men's
plaid brooches
are usually about two inches in diameter in Scotland. The larger
"piper" brooches
are three or four inches and frequently are decorated
with a large gemstone.
This stone is most commonly a tea colored "Cairngorm"
which is a quartz
found in the Highlands. Authentic Cairngorms are no longer available and
citrine or smoky
quartz are substituted, usually from an imported source . Amethyst is
also popular in
traditional jewelry.
Source: http://www.celtarts.com/WEDDING/jewelry_is_an_excellent_way_to_e.htm
The Eye of Rom earring that Kelson wears is a cabachon ruby. Below is an example of a rough-cut ruby cabachon from Medieval times.
Cabochon (from French caboche, knob). A stone cut with a smooth,
rounded surface, with no
facets and highly polished. Usually it is cut from an opaque or translucent
stone (but some emeralds,
amethysts and garnets have been so cut), or a stone with a special
optical effect (opal, moonstone).
The style of cut was used in Antiquity and continued until the 15th
century when it began to be
displaced by faceting. Cabochons are of various shapes, usually circular
or oval, but sometimes
rectangular or triangular. Carbuncle (almandine) is among the stones
that are most often cut as
cabochon. The stone so cut is said to be cut en cabochon.
Source: Department of Medieval Studies at Central European University, Budapest.
Duncan gave Morgan a sword set in cairngorms for his birthday.
Smokey (cairngorm)
Source: http://www.theimage.com/gemstone/quartz/quartz8.html
The Ring of Fire that Kelson sometimes wears is made of a garnet cabachon and is surrounded with brilliant-cut garnets. (below)
Picture: Dark red Almandine Garnet cabochon
Size:
Cut: Cabochon
Gem: Gem
Hut
Brilliant-cut garnet
Source: http://www.acntv.com/Product.htm?ING0465 (inactive link)
Lapis lazuli
is a dark blue microcrystalline rock composed primarily of the mineral
lazurite. It often sparkles with golden pyrite inclusions.
Source: photo: gemhut.com definition: jewelrycentral.com
Cauley MacArdry, and later Dhugal wears a Torc as a symbol of his leadership of the clan.
Celtic torcs and bracelets. Source:
The
World Of The Celts by Simon James, Thames & Hudson LTD,, London,
1993
Source: http://www.geocities.com/~rynegade/costume/celt.htm (link broken)
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