Akik (the cornelian stone, used in seal-rings)

'Akik is the Arabic name of the cornelian, a stone found in Arabia in various colours and qualities, of which the red is especially in demand. ¹

Cornelian was exported from Yemen, by way of San'a to the Mediterranean ports, and from India. It was used for seal-rings, for women's ornaments and even for costly mosaics; al-Muqaddasi records it in the mihrab of the great mosque at Damascus. It was also used as a medicine for the teeth. ²

Superstitious belief ascribed to the cornelian in the seal-ring the power of soothing the heart, especially in battle, and of stopping haemorrhage. Some traditions say that Muhammad shared this belief and confirmed that the seal could bring happiness and protect from poverty. Similar beliefs are attached to the cornelian in Europe. ²

Down to the present day the cornelian has remained a favourite neck-ornament for women, and the name akik has been transferred to any kind of red necklace, whether of glass, shells or other materials. ²