Coral Beads: Jewelry of the Sea

<h1>Coral Beads: Jewelry of the Sea</h1>Author: <a title="Daniel Cruse" href="http://www.articlesbase.com/authors/daniel-cruse/159511.htm">Daniel Cruse</a> Red coral, like pearls, are a precious gemstone that is harvested in the ocean.  It is found near the bottom of the sea.  Red coral is skeletal and petrified.  It prefers to grow in deep and dark parts of the ocean in caverns and crevices.  The gem can be found near Gibraltar, Sardinia, Japan and Taiwan.  It resembles a small leafless bush.  The rock is made up of intermeshed spicules of calcium carbonate and natural pigments.  True coral comes in shade of warm red, from pale pink to a deep red.  The hard skeleton is a natural matte but can be polished to have a glossy shine.  The first known pieces of coral trace back to jewelry found in ancient Egypt.  A few different pieces have also been found in prehistoric European burials.  Again, like pearls, coral is an ancient gemstone that is still used in jewelry today.   In Greek Mythology, coral has a very distinct and different origin. Perseus, one of the many illegitimate sons of Zeus, accidentally created the beautiful rock.  A would be suitor to his mother sent him on a journey to retrieve the head of Medusa, a Gorgon who’d been transformed into a snake-like creature.  One look into her eyes and a person turned to stone.  After defeating Medusa, as Perseus traveled through modern day Ethiopia, he saw a beautiful woman, Andromeda, chained to a rock by the sea.  She was meant to be sacrificed to the Cracken, a vile sea monster.  Perseus was promised her hand in marriage if he could rescue her.  Using the head of Medusa, he petrified the sea monster and saved Andromeda.  He set the head by the sea and its blood changed the seaweed into coral.  The Greek word for the gemstone is Gorgeia (Medusa was a Gorgon.).  Coral was widely used in the ancient world.  It was such an important symbol of wealth the Greeks added it to their mythology.   Today we know that coral does not come from the blood of a decapitated snake monster.  It comes from the sea, but we still use it as jewelry.  Its beauty can only be matched by the wearer, adding a level of ancient opulence.   Many stores sell synthetic coral at wholesale to make arts and crafts with.  Homemade necklaces and bracelets are popular pieces to create.  The synthetic coral is sold as beads and pendants.  Authentic coral can be found in jewelry stores but cost a bundle.  It’s fiscally responsible to buy the gemstone at wholesale.  This allows a person to tap into the creative hemisphere of their brain and design their own unique coral jewelry.About the Author: Discover <a href="http://www.sedonastones.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=SS&Category_Code=CL">coral beads</a> at factory direct prices from Sedona Stones. You will find <a href="http://www.sedonastones.com">wholesale beads</a> ranging from magnificent pearls to inspiring turquoise beads.Article Source: <a href="http://www.articlesbase.com/">ArticlesBase.com</a> - <a href="http://www.articlesbase.com/crafts-articles/coral-beads-jewelry-of-the-sea-938351.html" title="Coral Beads: Jewelry of the Sea">Coral Beads: Jewelry of the Sea</a>

Red coral, like pearls, are a precious gemstone that is harvested in the ocean. It is found near the bottom of the sea. Red coral is skeletal and petrified. It prefers to grow in deep and dark parts of the ocean in caverns and crevices. The gem can be found near Gibraltar, Sardinia, Japan and Taiwan. It resembles a small leafless bush. The rock is made up of intermeshed spicules of calcium carbonate and natural pigments. True coral comes in shade of warm red, from pale pink to a deep red. The hard skeleton is a natural matte but can be polished to have a glossy shine. The first known pieces of coral trace back to jewelry found in ancient Egypt. A few different pieces have also been found in prehistoric European burials. Again, like pearls, coral is an ancient gemstone that is still used in jewelry today.

In Greek Mythology, coral has a very distinct and different origin. Perseus, one of the many illegitimate sons of Zeus, accidentally created the beautiful rock. A would be suitor to his mother sent him on a journey to retrieve the head of Medusa, a Gorgon who’d been transformed into a snake-like creature. One look into her eyes and a person turned to stone. After defeating Medusa, as Perseus traveled through modern day Ethiopia, he saw a beautiful woman, Andromeda, chained to a rock by the sea. She was meant to be sacrificed to the Cracken, a vile sea monster. Perseus was promised her hand in marriage if he could rescue her. Using the head of Medusa, he petrified the sea monster and saved Andromeda. He set the head by the sea and its blood changed the seaweed into coral. The Greek word for the gemstone is Gorgeia (Medusa was a Gorgon.). Coral was widely used in the ancient world. It was such an important symbol of wealth the Greeks added it to their mythology.

Today we know that coral does not come from the blood of a decapitated snake monster. It comes from the sea, but we still use it as jewelry. Its beauty can only be matched by the wearer, adding a level of ancient opulence. Many stores sell synthetic coral at wholesale to make arts and crafts with. Homemade necklaces and bracelets are popular pieces to create. The synthetic coral is sold as beads and pendants. Authentic coral can be found in jewelry stores but cost a bundle. It’s fiscally responsible to buy the gemstone at wholesale. This allows a person to tap into the creative hemisphere of their brain and design their own unique coral jewelry.

Discover coral beads at factory direct prices from Sedona Stones. You will find wholesale beads ranging from magnificent pearls to inspiring turquoise beads.

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Article Tags: Jewelry, CORAL, Beads

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