Cinnabar was the alchemists stone. As it contains mercury it was believed it could be transmuted into gold. The name originated in ancient Persia from zinjifrah, meaning dragon's blood, because of its wonderful vermilion colour – which was the pigment used in Stone Age cave art.
At a spiritual level, Cinnabar connects to the acceptance of everything being perfect exactly as it is, releasing energy blockages and aligning the energy centres.
One of the stones of abundance, Cinnabar is strongly energetic and was placed in the cash box to increase takings and to hold onto wealth. Increasing persuasiveness and assertiveness, it aids in prospering in one's endeavours without inciting aggression, and assists organization and community work, business and finance. This stone is helpful when you want to enhance your persona or change image as it invests you with dignity and power and makes your outward demeanour aesthetically pleasing and elegant. Mentally, Cinnabar imparts fluency to the mind and to speech.
Cinnabar is a colorful mineral that adds a unique color to the mineral color palette. Its cinnamon to scarlet red color can be very attractive. Well shaped crystals are uncommon and the twinned crystals are considered classics among collectors. The twinning in cinnabar is distinctive and forms a penetration twin that is ridged with six ridges surrounding the point of a pryamid. It could be thought of as two scalahedral crystals grown together with one crystal going the opposite way of the other crystal.
Sign of Cinnarbar: Leo
Element: Water
Cinnabar is the primary ore of mercury. Mercury is used in medical instruments, electrical controls and as a fungicide. It was once used to recover gold from stream sediments and crushed ore, however, other methods are now used instead.
Blood, strength and flexibility in physical body, stabilizing weight, fertility.
Cinnabar was mined by the Roman Empire for its mercury content and it has been the main ore of mercury throughout the centuries. Some mines used by the Romans are still being mined today. Cinnabar shares the same symmetry class with quartz but the two form different crystal habits.
Notable occurences include Almaden, Spain; Idria, Serbia; Hunan Prov, China and California, Oregon, Texas, and Arkansas, USA.
