(Internal #CR509-4) You are bidding on one SPECIAL, necklace with NATURAL twinned staurolite crystal that forms a CHRISTIAN CROSS (either a Roman, St. Andrews, or a Maltese cross). These are legally dug by hand and shovel near Fairy Stone State Park in Stuart, near the top of Bull Mountain which covers about 50 acres in Patrick County, Virginia by permit only, then the softer matrix stone is carefully filed away until just the cross remains. Necklace is 19" long; Petite 6x4 mm rice shaped hematite beads; fairy cross is 5/8" long; sterling silver lobster claw closure and tab loop. Regardless of the color that you may see on your monitor, fairy stones are a natural tan/reddish brown color, with little dots of real garnet. The fairy stones will turn darker and smoother as they are worn or held, as they will absorb body oils. The staurolite stones are found elsewhere (such as in Russia) but not in such abundance and not shaped o nearly like crosses as those in the vicinity of Fairy Stone State Park. Also called "Lucky Stones" Former Presidents Roosevelt and Wilson and other prominent people of this country as well as crown heads of Europe and prominent officers and men in the European war carried one or more of these fairy stones in their pockets for luck. In that remote mountain section of Virginia runs a legend as follows - Many hundreds of years before King/Chief Powhatan's dynasty and long before Pocahontas, the fairies were dancing around a spring of water, playing with naiads and wood nymphs, when an elfin messenger arrived from a city far away. He brought news of the death of Christ. When these creatures of the forest heard the story of the crucifixion, they wept. As their tears fell upon the earth, they crystallized into little pebbles, on each of which was formed a beautiful cross. When the fairies disappeared from the enchanted place, the ground about the spring and the adjacent valley was strewn with these mementos of the event. For more than a century, people have held these little crosses in superstitious awe, firm in the belief that they protected the wearer against witchcraft, sickness, accidents and disaster. See "The Trail of the Lonesome Pine" a publication by John Fox Jr., page 174. The lover gives his sweetheart one of these stones and you will note the luck it gives them. A copy of this legend accompanies each purchase. They make a lovely Christian gift any time of the year or at Christmas, Easter and confirmations - even to yourself! A CHEROKEE INDIAN LEGEND A Cherokee Indian legend of the staurolite is an ancient story, and has been passed down through many generations. It was told to us by an old man of Cherokee descent, who said that he believed the crosses are better than gold. The legend speaks of a ceremony that would be held once a year, at the time of the Spring Equinox. The festival, centered on the staurolite ?cross? brought many different Indigenous tribes together for food and trade during the special event. People brought their personal ?crosses? to the ceremony; and special ?crosses? that were kept in a vault made of soap rock would be unearthed. All were put into a fire that was built at sunset. There the ?crosses? would be heated until glowing hot, and they would be carried with green sticks to a special mound or rock. The staurolite would glow for hours; and would be kept continuously hot by reheating until the rising of the sun. This legendary ceremony was to assure the people safe passage, rain during the growing season and an abundance of food in the fall. Thus, the staurolite has been a symbol of good luck and faith for centuries with many Cherokee people. Click on our Store tag for similar items. WE SHIP WORLDWIDE, see the chart for postage to your country. FAIRY CROSSES ARE A TAN/BROWN COLOR.