Origin: Sri Lanka, Thailand, Brazil, India, Madagascar

Lore: The history of garnets goes back more than 5,000 years; garnet jewelry was buried with Norseman to light their passage to Valhalla. Garnets also are found in jewelry from the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans, and have best been known as the warrior's stone. Soldiers carried garnet to ward off death and injury, and the stone also was used as a weapon against enemies by being shot out of a gun.

Mystical: Garnet is a stone of romantic love and passion. It is used in metaphysics to enhance sensuality, sexuality, and intimacy. It is even said to protect travelers from harm and sleepers from nightmares. It is said to bring positive thoughts, to assist with success in one's career and building one's self-confidence. Garnet is associated primarily with the root chakra.