I’m fascinated by picture jasper. According to CrystalVaults.com,

Picture Jasper, a remarkable form of Brown Jasper, is characterized by masterful “scenes” and landscape patterns formed by Nature, and is believed to contain hidden messages from the past. It was revered in many cultures of the world for its deep connection to the Earth, its protection during shamanic journeying, and its ability to divine the land and the future. It is perhaps more closely connected to the planet than any other Jasper and is known today as the Stone of Global Awareness.

Picture Jasper is an opaque, microcrystalline variety of Quartz with extraordinary color banding, veining and depositional flow patterns created by petrified or silicate mud and sometimes dendritic inclusions. On cut or polished stones, these variations appear as detailed images or “scenes.” Because of its unique landscape patterns and wide range of colors, Picture Jasper is one of the most sought after and famous varieties. It occurs in nodules or as fillings in fissures and may be found the world over, usually named for the specific localities where it is mined. Picture Jasper’s earthy colors are due to high iron content and other minerals or impurities that create its artistry. It forms most often in shades and combinations of brown, gold- to reddish-brown, black, blue, tan or ivory, though other colors may be present. [Simmons, 215][Eason, 108, 298][Melody, 347][minerals-n-more.com][txrockhound.zboxhosting.net]

The following photos are only a few of the many “landscapes” this form of jasper can depict. They are so much like actual paintings I almost wonder if the chemical properties of picture jasper somehow allowed it to capture photographs of a younger earth, perhaps through some unknown scientific process. It’s hard to believe these scenes are just accidents of nature.