The blessed stone

Carnelian as amulet: history, symbolism and protection

Updated October 2, 2025

If there is one stone that you’ll find often in ethnic jewellery from the Middle East and North Africa, it has to be carnelian. From the river valleys of Mesopotamia to the tombs of Egypt and the workshops of Rome, this stone was shaped into beads, seals, and amulets. In Islamic traditions too, carnelian has held a special place, often engraved with verses or carried as a protective ring. In this article, part of my series on amulets and charms in jewellery, I’ll explore the history and meaning of carnelian.

Carnelian in Antiquity: Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Rome

Red carnelian was already a favoured stone in ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt. [1] In Akkadian, its name was samtu. In ancient Ur, carnelian in general seems to have been most powerful when used together with lapis lazuli, instead of on its own. [2]

Queen Puabi and her servants were buried around 2,500 BCE in currrent-day Iraq, wearing abundant jewellery in which carnelian featured prominently: see some of their necklaces in the gallery above.

For the ancient Egyptians, carnelian was important on its own. They called it herset, and mined it in the Egyptian desert as well as in northern Sudan. Because of its colour, it was associated with the glow of sunrise and with blood. A certain type of carnelian beads was also used specifically for the dead. [and you’ll find tons of symbolic meaning of ancient Egyptian jewellery in the e-course!]

The Romans favoured carnelian, too: the majority of engraved stones that were worn in rings were made of carnelian. And as such, it continued to be a popular stone for engraved gems in the Byzantine period. [3]

Carnelian in Islamic amulets and rings

That popularity continued during the Middle Ages. You will often find carnelian plaques inscribed with Qur’an verses, or a carnelian stone set in a simple silver ring. That is because carnelian is associated with religion: it carries meaning in Islam, too.

In the hadith it is said that ‘the one who wears a carnelian ring will always know divine favour and happiness.’ [5] The ring of the prophet Muhammad himself may also have sported a carnelian. 

Another hadith says ‘Wearing a carnelian seal banishes poverty’ [6] This combines both the power of rings with that of carnelian: see more about rings as amulets here.

Carnelian in Middle Eastern and North African jewellery

Carnelian is also important in informal ritual and beliefs. And that is how we find it in jewellery.

Through sympathetic magic, it was believed to alleviate fever, or help with blood-related illnesses and problems such as heavy menstruation. That is because of its colour: thick and heavy like blood, or like the flushed colour of someone with a fever or inflammation.

Let me take you on a quick tour around the region!

In nineteenth-century Yemen, nomadic tribesmen wore a carnelian set in silver around their neck to stop the bleeding if they became injured. Yemen is also where the best carnelian was believed to come from. [7]

In some cases, a silver setting is said to have the opposite effect. It would prevent the stone from doing its work. Unpolished carnelian beads for example, not placed in a setting, were said to cure eye diseases. [8] Their similarity to the irritated eyeball is what makes them believed to be efficient – again, a form of sympathetic magic.

For Bedouin women in southern Palestine, a brown variety of carnelian would increase affection towards the wearer. [9]

In the Maghreb, carnelian was believed to help to remain calm in heated situations such as arguments or fights. Alternatively, it might help to cure bleeding gums, and would have a freshening effect on the breath in general. [10]  

The use of carnelian, as well as other agates, is also meaningful to the Tuareg. It has a strong protective aspect, and so you’ll find it often set in rings. As in many other cultures, carnelian is associated with blood and life through its colour. [11]

The lasting meaning of carnelian as a protective stone

The beliefs attached to carnelian are very old, as you have seen in this article. 

What makes carnelian so fascinating is its continuity. Civilisations as far apart as ancient Egypt, medieval Yemen, and the Bedouin communities of North Africa all turned to the same stone for its protective and symbolic qualities. Whether it was believed to stop bleeding, bring divine blessing, or simply carry the strength of the sun, carnelian’s role as an amulet shows how jewellery has always been more than adornment. 

The use of carnelian is an ancient tradition, and I love how it connects us to the distant past!

Frequently Asked Questions about carnelian as amulet

Why was carnelian important in ancient jewellery?
Carnelian was associated with blood, life, and the glow of sunrise, making it powerful in Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Rome.

What role does carnelian play in Islamic jewellery?
Carnelian in rings and pendants inscribed with Qur’anic verses were believed to bring divine favour, protection, and even banish poverty. This is based in the hadith.

How was carnelian used in Middle Eastern folk traditions?
It was believed to stop bleeding, ease fevers, and increase affection, often linked to its red colour and sympathetic magic.

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References

[1] See for example R. Beal 2022. Dividing a God, in: Mirecki, P. & M. Meyer (eds) Magic and Ritual in the Ancient World, Brill, p. 202 for a statue of a goddess inlaid with carnelian.

[2] See Benzel, K. 2013. Puabi’s adornment for the afterlife. PhD-thesis, Columbia University for a linguistic and archeological discussion.

[3] Bosselmann-Ruickbie, A. 2015. The Symbolism of Byzantine Gemstones: written sources, objects and sympathetic magic in Byzantium, in: Hilgner, A, S. Greiff & D. Quast (eds) Gemstones in the first millennium AD, RGZM Tagungen Band 30, p. 293.

[4] Porter, V. , L. Saif & E. Savage-Smith 2017. Medieval Islamic Amulets, Talismans, and Magic, in: Flood, F.B, & G. Necipoglu, A Companion to Islamic Art and Architecture, p. 543.

[5] Porter, V. 2011. Arabic and Persian seals in the British Museum, p. 1.

[6] Porter, V. 2011. Arabic and Persian seals in the British Museum, p. 21.

[7] Porter, V. 2011. Arabic and Persian seals in the British Museum, p. 22.

[8] E. Doutte 1909, Magie & religion dans l’Afrique du Nord, p. 84.

[9]  Biasio, E. 1998. Vom Zelt ins Haus. Beduinen im Negev, p. 235.

[10] E. Doutte 1909, Magie & religion dans l’Afrique du Nord, p. 83.

[11] See Seligman, T. & K. Loughran (eds) 2006. Art of Being Tuareg. Sahara Nomads in a Modern World, p. 184.

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