Agate Craft

Gujarat is renowned for agate stone crafts. The semi-precious stone formed of chalcedonic silica, is found in underground mines of Rajpipla and Ratanpur and in riverbeds, and extracted to produce a variety of ornamental objects. Its flexibility makes it easy to fashion the stone into a range of products, making it very popular. Agate is also said to have healing properties for balancing energies either within a person or even in the surroundings.

In the 18th century, the seaport of Khambhat (now in Anand dist.) was the centre of the agate industry. Daggers, Knives, cutlery and kitchenware, vases and a range of jewellery were created during this period. Artisans of Khambhat are skilled in this unique craft even today. The lifestyle changes in society have led to a new range of utilitarian and decorative products.

Craftsmen in Khambhat now produce trendy agate stone jewellery such as bangles, necklaces and earrings, and also bowls, vases, ashtrays, buttons, paperweights, paper knives, decorative showpieces as well as products for Feng Shui. Eroding Knowledge-base in the foundation of this enriching experience of the stone crafts of Gujarat lays the wealth of knowledge invested in the craftsperson of the area by their forefathers. This largely unrecognized asset base of our heritage, because of its intangible nature, is rarely given the credit it deserves.

The skills developed and refined over centuries of application and practice, using simple hand-based tools, have ensured a heritage that gives us a sense of pride, Agate beads are used primarily in rosaries and jewellery. The healing powers attributed to agate stones have sustained the use of agate over centuries.