Malachite History, Formation, Healing Properties, Uses, Facts & Styling

Malachite is a copper carbonate hydroxide mineral that has been used for centuries for a variety of purposes. In ancient Egypt, malachite was worn as jewelry used in amulets and scarabs and was even part of the “Field of Malachite,” which was the Egyptian version of the afterlife. The color green was symbolic of life, growth and fertility, and in ancient Greece, Malachite was used to decorate the temple of Artemis, the goddess of hunting and wilderness. The name malachite may come from the Greek word malakos, which means “softness.” The malachite powder was also used as an eyeshadow pigment by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans. One of the largest pieces of malachite in the US is the Malachite Tazza, which was given to August Heckscher by Tsar Nicholas II in 1910. It is now on display in the Linda Hall Library.