Country of Origin - Mexico
 
Sardonyx can be traced back four thousand years to Ancient Egypt. For most of its history, this stone has been used to create cameos and intaglios. In Ancient Rome, women wore sardonyx necklaces with cameos of Venus in hopes of harnessing the power of the goddess of love. It was also common for soldiers to wear sardonyx rings and carvings containing images of Mars, the god of war, into battle as a means of protection. Sardonyx was also a popular stone for Roman seals and signet rings that were used to imprint wax emblems on official documents because hot wax doesn't stick to this stone.
 
Used as a stone of strength and protection since ancient times, sardonyx is associated with courage, happiness and clear communication. It brings lasting happiness and stability to marriage and partnerships. The spiritual values of red and white-banded and red bullseye sardonyx make these stones particularly powerful. In fact, they are said to allow one to project such an incredible charisma that many people suggest the stone be used with care to avoid overwhelming others. Wear them, they say, when you want extra power in a particular circumstance.
 
Much of the black and white-banded sardonyx's power comes from its association with a particular body type--slender, quick-moving people who are intellectually active. If you're clever, versatile, highly verbal and have an optimistic disposition, those traits may be heightened when you wear black and white-banded sardonyx. Or, you can wear it to help you control one of those traits if it's working against you. Some believe that placing sardonyx at each corner of a house will protect against evil.