Polished malachite - ball 248g, Congo

The name of the mineral comes from the Greek word malache denoting mallow and deep green color.
In the past, malachite was referred to as a less pronounced copper ore. It has been processed as a precious stone for a long time. Already in ancient Egypt, they carved cameos, amulets and other decorative objects from it. The ancient Greeks and Romans also knew him. Crushed was used as a dye in painting, or as a make-up.