
This is beautiful Graveyard Point Plume Agate from near Graveyard Point in the Owyhee Mountains of far eastern Oregon.
The agate formed in the cracks in basalt. The veins of agate range from 1 inch to about 18 inches thick, and can be a few feet long to 30 feet in length!
Plume Agate gets its name from its beautiful plume like inclusions. This material is partly translucent.
Agate was highly valued as a talisman or amulet in ancient times. It was said to quench thirst and protect against fever. Persian magicians used agate to divert storms. Mithridates, king of Pontus, had a collection of thousands of agate bowls. Agate bowls were also popular in the Byzantine Empire. Collecting agate bowls became common among European royalty during the Renaissance and many museums in Europe, including the Louvre, have spectacular examples.
Graveyard Plume Agate