onyx stone

onyx stone

The mine of this stone is abundant in Iran. East Azarbaijan, Khorasan, Kerman, Kurdistan and Mahallat provinces have the most onyx mines.

According to Sangestan Mahallat, onyx stone comes from the metamorphosis of limestone. The main mineral of this stone is calcite. In addition to architecture, onyx stone has been used many times in the art of sculpture. This stone has been used to build the statue of Hercules, the statue of Prophet David, the statue of Pieta, the Taj Mahal, the Temple of Artemis and the New York City Public Library. This stone is also used for pilgrimage buildings and shrines of Imams (AS).

The purer the onyx is, the whiter it is. Impurities such as iron oxide, silica, mica, serpentine and graphite cause this stone to be seen with a range of different colors.

The mine of this stone is abundant in Iran. East Azarbaijan, Khorasan, Kerman, Kurdistan and Mahallat provinces have the most onyx mines.

Onyx stone reacts to sunlight and moisture and becomes pale over time, that's why this stone is mostly used in interior decoration. Onyx water absorption is less than one percent. Onyx stone has the ability to reflect light in its inner layer and multiply the brightness of the environment.

Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, is known as Onyx City due to the widespread use of white onyx stone, and its name is registered in the Guinness Book of Records.

Onyx stone does not retain heat, so its surface is always cool and transfers this coolness to the environment. Onyx is easy to clean and dust does not remain on it. Onyx has little resistance to weathering, gases, pollution and acid rain.

There are two types of onyx stone found in the commercial markets: the onyx stone that is used in construction and the onyx stone that is used in jewelry. The hardness of the onyx stone used in construction is 3 and the hardness of the onyx stone used in jewelry is 7.

Ancient Iranians and Indians believed that onyx stone was useful for treating epilepsy. The ancient Greeks and Romans used the onyx stone as a talisman to deal with the enemy and always carried a piece of it with them. They believe that this stone is influenced by the god of war and the Roman myth and has the ability to give a person the courage of Hercules.