Brazilian Agates

Discover the beauty of colourful gemstones with unique features. Brazilian agates from the Kazan Kremlin Museum-Reserve will for the first time be displayed at the State Darwin Museum.

The exhibits fascinate with their diversity in color, stone working quality, their quantity and sizes. The biggest gemstone weights about 22 kg. Polished sections of natural agate in illuminated frames allow visitors to examine in detail the structure of these minerals, as well as their unique fanciful design. 

Agate is a mineral with an incredible variety of colors and an unusual layered pattern formed by the gradual layering of chalcedony. It is said that the stone was given its name by a Greek philosopher and naturalist, who discovered the stone along the shore line of the river Achates in Sicily.

More than 150 varieties of agate can be distinguished depending on the type of pattern on the section, which is unique for each stone. Being very attractive and easy to work with, agate has long been valued by jewelers. The first mention of it dates back to the III century BC. In ancient Egypt agate was used to make seals; Roman masters cut out gems and intaglios, patterned bowls and necklaces. During the Renaissance, agate was used for powder and snuff boxes, for inlaid furniture, to decorated room, etc. Sometimes natural stones were dyed in different colors to make them more appealing. 

Visit Darwin Museum to find out more about the use of the gemstones and their properties, as well as in what host rocks they can be found and what countries are the suppliers of the biggest and most attractive samples.