Jasper. n impure, opaque form of 
chalcedony displaying various shades of 
color, the yellow, red, and brown hues 
predominating. When grayish or green- 
ish and mottled with red the name blood- 
stone is sometimes applied. It was much 
used by the native tribes for flaked im- 
plements of several varieties, and more 
rarely for hammers, celts, axes, and orna- 
ments. It occurs in irregular masses, or 
pockets, in connection with other forma- 
tions in many sections of the United 
States, and was often obtained by the 
Indians in the form of fugitive pebbles 
and bowlders; but in Pennsylvania, and 
perhaps in other states, it was quarried 
from the original beds. The best known 
quarries are in Bucks, Lehigh, and Berks 
cos., e. Pa. Jasper was extensively worked 
by the ancient inhabitants of Converse 
and neighboring counties of Wyoming, 
who found this material as well as the 
translucent varieties of chalcedony in con- 
nection with the quartzite of the region. 
See Chalcedony. 
Consult Dorsey in Field Columb. Mus. 
Pub., Anthrop. ser., 11 , no. 4, 1900; 
Holmes in 15th Bep. B. A. E., 1897; Mer- 
cer in Am. Anthrop., vii, 80, 1894. 
(w. H. H. ) 
