What it is confused with
Dyed green jasper and agate with painted or dyed red spots imitate it. Natural bloodstone has spots that sit inside the stone rather than on the surface.
Dark green with red spots
Bloodstone crystals
Bloodstone is chalcedony (cryptocrystalline quartz) with inclusions of red iron oxide, dark green with red spots, rated 6.5–7 on the Mohs scale. Traditionally, it is carried for courage and endurance, particularly by athletes and soldiers — attributed, not demonstrated.
- Mohs hardness
- 6.5–7 scratches window glass
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Pliny, AD 77
- Book 37.60 as “heliotropium”
- Main sources today
- India also Brazil, Australia
Pliny, Natural History, tr. Bostock and Riley.
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Properties
Composition
Chalcedony (cryptocrystalline quartz) with inclusions of red iron oxide
Hardness (Mohs)
6.5–7
Crystal system
Trigonal
Color
Dark green with red spots
Mined in
India, Brazil, Australia, Scotland
Worth knowing
The red spots are iron oxide, not blood — but the resemblance drove nearly all of its folklore.
History
Known to the Romans as heliotrope; the red flecks gave rise to medieval Christian legend.
Buying
Buying Bloodstone: fakes, value and treatments
What decides the price
An inexpensive stone. A deep, even green with clearly defined red flecks is preferred.
Where it is used
Cameos, intaglios, signet rings and beads; its toughness made it a carving stone for centuries.
A less familiar fact
Medieval Christians called it the martyr's stone, reading the red spots as drops of Christ's blood.
Practical
Caring for Bloodstone
How to clean it
Warm soapy water and a soft cloth. Avoid harsh chemicals, which dull the surface.
How to tell it is real
Dyed jasper is sold as bloodstone. Genuine bloodstone has irregular, uneven red flecks; dyed material shows color concentrated in cracks.
How hard is Bloodstone?
Bloodstone is chalcedony, a fine-grained quartz that is tough for its hardness — the reason it was cut into seals and signet rings for centuries. Harsh chemicals dull its polish faster than wear does.
Bloodstone, at 6.5–7, is harder than 19 of the other 42 stones here and softer than 15, with 8 level with it.
Primary source
What Pliny the Elder wrote about Bloodstone
“Heliotropium is found in Æthiopia, Africa, and Cyprus: it is of a leek-green colour, streaked with blood-red veins. It has been thus named, from the circumstance that, if placed in a vessel of water and exposed to the full light of the sun, it changes to a reflected colour like that of blood; this being the case with the stone of Æthiopia more particularly.”
Pliny the Elder, The Natural History, translated by John Bostock and H. T. Riley (London: H. G. Bohn, 1855–57), book 37, chapter 60 — read the original text.
Heliotropium, “sun-turner”, is still the mineral name for bloodstone: green chalcedony spotted with red. Who Pliny was and why we quote him →
Traditional associations
Bloodstone is traditionally carried for courage and endurance, particularly by athletes and soldiers. Chakra in crystal practice: Root, Heart. Element: Earth.
Questions about Bloodstone
What is Bloodstone made of?
Chalcedony (cryptocrystalline quartz) with inclusions of red iron oxide, crystallizing in the trigonal system.
Which month is Bloodstone the birthstone for?
March.
Where does Bloodstone come from?
India, Brazil, Australia, Scotland.
Can Bloodstone be worn every day?
Yes. It rates 6.5–7 on the Mohs scale, and the main thing to watch is harsh chemicals, which dull the polish.
Sources
Statements of fact on this page were checked against these sources in October 2026. How we choose and check sources: editorial policy.
Cite this page
AstroHot. “Bloodstone Crystals: Meaning, Hardness and Origins.” Accessed October 28, 2026. https://astrohot.com/crystals/gemstones/bloodstone/
For Wikipedia
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