Sard's name derives from the Greek word sardios and the Latin word sarda for Sardis, the ancient capital of the kingdom of Lydia, Asia Minor. Sardis is now known as Turkey, and is where sard was first found. Until medieval times, sard was known as sardion. Sard has a long history and was even mentioned in many ancient writings. Damigeron, the Greek historian from the second century BC, writes that sard has a light color, or is spotted; when worn by a woman it makes them lovable.
Sard is the second oldest known name for a silica mineral, crystal being the first. In the Exodus and Revelations books of the Christian bible, sard is one of the precious stones chosen by Aaron to adorn his breastplate. In the 1300's, sard was often engraved with the image of a grapevine intertwined with ivy. The grapevine symbolized male energy and the ivy symbolized female energy. Women would wear these pieces to attract love and good fortune. Sard is a variety of the microcrystalline 
quartz, 
chalcedony. It has always been renowned as a mineral that is excellent for small sculptures, inlay work, cameos and intaglios. Since antiquity, it was used for engraving jewelry and it was extremely popular for Victorian jewelry, such as signet rings, cameo rings, and seals. Sard is often used now to make beads.
Sard ranges in color from reddish yellow to brownish red to brown, with white streaks. The color of sard derives from the presence of the hydrated iron oxide called limonite. It rates a 6.5 on the hardness scale, is transparent to sub transparent, and has a vitreous to waxy luster. When the stone has bands of sard along with bands of white 
onyx, it is called sardonyx. Sardonyx was once more precious than 
sapphire, gold and silver. Sard looks very similar to 
agate. It also looks similar to carnelian, and the two stones are often confused, however sard is usually less intense in color than carnelian. Sard is formed by the deposition of silica in gas cavities in lavas, which results in its distinctive white bands. The best quality sard can be found in Ratnapura, in southwest Sri Lanka, and in the Black Hills of Imperial County, California. It can also be found in various locations around India, China, Australia, Brazil, and Madagascar.
Sard is a stone that has, for a long-time, represented love, protection, and courage. It is also a stone that is particularly effective for women. It used to be given to women in labor to help them attain an overall trouble free childbirth. In general, sard is used to promote awareness, courage and bravery, rendering the wearer fearless, successful, victorious, and therefore happy. Sard is also used to defeat negative spells and energies. It has long been thought to protect against snakebites and another poisons, as well as bad dreams and melancholy feelings.
