Hematite Seed Bead Memory Wire Bangle Bracelet.

This bracelet is an elegant piece of contemporary jewelry. This one has been strung with brilliant hematite beads and glass seed beads with a stunning scheme of metallic colors. They have all been artfully hand strung onto memory wire to create a beautiful design. The total length is 7" and this memory wire bracelet will fit many sizes.

Hematite is an important ore of iron and it's blood red rusty color (in the powdered form) lends itself well in use as a pigment. The hardened mineral form is deep steely gray or black and can be carved and polished easily. Hematite gets its name from the Greek word "haima" meaning blood. It was named for the blood red color of its powder and ancient superstition held that large deposits of hematite grew on fresh battlefields where the blood of the wounded and slain seeped into the ground and mixed together within the earth. Hematite's association with battle was probably responsible for its strong connection to Mars, the Roman God of war. Warriors in Ancient Rome used Hematite as protection during battle believing that the mineral would provide a measure of invincibility while fighting. Astonishingly, hematite was found in great quantities on the red planet Mars by the Nasa rovers, reinventing the Roman's connection between Hematite, their god of war, and his namesake. Besides Mars, Hematite can be found in the United States, Alaska, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Brazil, Spain, Germany, Norway, Sweden, and more.