10 Things You Didn’t Know About Hematite

Although Hematite is a common iron oxide mineral, its healing properties extend beyond what one would consider common. Officially discovered in 1773 by Jean Baptiste rome de L’Isle, it is one of the most powerful grounding stones in the mineral kingdom. It is known to keep you tethered to the earthly realm while allowing you to explore the reaches of your mind and tap into your true potential. Hematite brings balance and stability, clarity, focus, and strength. It opens the root chakra and helps with the transmutation of negative energies, while allowing you to channel and ground higher vibrations. One may ask “what else is there to know?” Here are ten things you didn’t know about Hematite. 

1. Hematite Origins 

The name ‘hematite’ comes from the Greek word haima which means “blood”, originating from the color of the stone when it is crushed into powdered form. Roman soldiers would often use this crushed powder to rub on their bodies before going into battle as it was believed to bestow courage, strength, and invulnerability. Native Americans would also smear the red powder on their faces as war paint. 

2. Hematite, a Transmutation Stone – literally 

Curiously enough as it is to think of how the stone was crushed and used by soldiers and warriors in battle, it was also believed to “reform” once it had served its purpose (or after it had failed). Ancient myth states that after a battle had been fought, large deposits of hematite would form wherever blood had been shed and where soldiers had died. 

3. Hematite in Ancient Egypt 

Early Egyptians would utilize the stone for many healing purposes, including the cure of abnormalities and diseases in the blood as well as to treat inflammation and hysteria. Hematite was also a stone which was commonly associated with death (a transition) in ancient Egypt. It was often used to inscribe passages from the Book of the Dead, many artifacts having been found inside their tombs.   

4. Hematite, a Divination Stone 

Much like its volcanic twin Obsidian, Hematite carries many of the same properties of protection and for divination. Traditionally across many cultures, hematite was often used in the construction of “magic mirrors” which would be used for scrying as well as for the deflection of negativity back to its source.  

5. Hematite, a Stone of Immortality 

In the same sense that this stone has been used for millennia to treat and cure many physical ailments, it is also believed to be a regenerating stone of the Self. It is said that any scratches, cracks, or imperfections appearing on the stone would not remain for long – rubbing these cracks and scratches is said to “heal” the stone.  

6. Hematite, a Stone of Vitality 

A protector of the physical body and spirit, hematite is believed to also protect vitality and the life force, guaranteeing survival. Historically, shamans would often use this stone in healing rituals, placing it over the site of an illness in the body in order to draw out the “spirit of an illness” from the patient and into the stone itself.  

7. Hematite, a Talisman of Favor and Success 

As it is believed to increase courage, optimism, and positivity, hematite is said to carry energies of good luck and success. The Azchalias of Babylon believed that a talisman made from this stone would bestow upon the wearer favor from the kings as well as fortunate outcomes in legal situations. Engraved seals made of hematite have been found in the ancient ruins of Babylon.  

8. Hematite, a Cosmic Traveler 

Somewhat recent discoveries in the exploration of Mars have revealed that this iron ore (hematite) exists virtually everywhere on the red planet. First identified by the thermal emission spectrometer (TES) aboard the Mars Global Surveyor, hematite was found to be responsible for the planet’s distinct red hue. This physical association with the planet itself carried into Greek mythology as it was considered to be the stone of Mars, the god of war in the Roman Pantheon. 

9. Hematite, a Blood Stone 

As its name is derived from the Greek haimatites lithos, meaning “bloodlike stone”, hematite’s healing properties are greatly associated with issues and abnormalities regarding the blood. Pliny the Elder sites its usage throughout history (via ingestion) to stop excessive menstrual bleeding. Its usage has also been recorded across many cultures for the purpose of staunching blood flow from wounds. 

10. Hematite and its Ancient Origins 

Although the occurrence of this mineral is so common on earth today, it wasn’t always so. The presence of hematite is owed to the Great Oxygenation Event which occurred 2.45 billion years ago. As soon as bacteria began conducting photosynthesis, oxygen was introduced into oceanic environments which were already rich with dissolved iron. As the oxygen and iron mixed and mingled, they formed hematite with shale and silica which sank to the bottom of the oceans, creating banded iron formations. This carried on for billions of years, creating thick layers of hematite deposits which we are familiar with today.