An archaic or rare term for agate, a striped or banded variety of chalcedony (a microcrystalline mineral), often used as a gemstone.
From Latin achates, which itself comes from Greek achates. The name may derive from the Achates River in Sicily where the stone was found, though this etymology is debated.
Ancient Romans loved agate and believed it could make the wearer courageous, swift, and eloquent—and interestingly, it actually does contain microscopic fossils and trace minerals that make each stone visually unique.
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