witchcraft.boo

Stones

Selenite

Selenite takes its name from Selene, the Greek moon, for the pearly sheen along its cleavage planes. It is a variety of gypsum, soft enough to scratch with a fingernail, and it will slowly dissolve in water, which surprises people who buy it for a bathroom shelf.

Enormous crystals form in the right conditions. Mexico's Cave of the Crystals holds selenite beams over ten metres long, grown in mineral-saturated water heated by magma below.

Its softness meant it was rarely used for tools or jewellery, so it comes to modern practice with very little historical baggage attached.

Back to stones