Station: [4] Rock crystal, amethyst, agate, carnelian

First, we see rock crystal combined with amethyst—also a druse.

But now back to the agates. The Steinkaulenberg is particularly well known for its red agates and their special banding, which cannot be found anywhere else in the world in this particular variety. 

Our regional agates have a particular feature, almost a trademark: they have red dots, like stains, wihin the gray banding of the agate-almond. This has not been found anywhere else in the world. Sometimes, these red dots look like drops of red paint. 

These red dots are a result of iron compounds. With their help, the mineralogist can determine which region the agate comes from.

These bright red agates are called carnelians. Their name is derived from the Latin word “carne” which translates to meat.

And with a little bit of imagination this gemstone really looks like a piece of raw meat - maybe a steak or even spit roast.