Iran has long had a reputation in ancient world as a source of good quality agates, and owes this renown principally to several extensive volcanic provinces, which extended vast districts of this country.Archeological researches on ancient founds in early human settle sites and ancient tombs, in prehistoric age, shows this fact that agate, chalcedony and jasper used not only for making stony blades and instruments like arrowhead, but also used as semiprecious stone for making beads and pendants. Some of these founds age go back to 6th millennium BC in age.

During historical age (after 1st millennium BC) agate, chalcedony and jasper used for making masterpieces gemstone and also roll and seal stamps, stock of dagger and sward and so on. Based on the commemorative inscription of Darus the Great (549-486 BC) palace in the Susa, agate use for ornamentation of his palace there. In this inscription have been said that agate, which named “Sikabroush” in ancient Persian language, came from mines in Soghd area, that now forms Tajikistan and east of Uzbekistan countries. Also ancient Persians named horizontally banded agate “Khalang” which means piebald, a type of onyx with frequent black and white bands.

Agate has been honored not only as a semiprecious mineral but also as a talisman among Iranian clan creeds since prehistorically ages. They believed that agate and onyx is benefit for treat with bleeding problems. It said that drinking a mixture of burned agate powder with apple wine before breakfast is useful for treating the heart palpitation diseases. Also onyx used to treat slaver problem in infantile.

With beginning of Islamic period supernatural beliefs on agate jewelry sustained and increased, as much as it settled in “Holy Gemstones” group. However it increased use of agate among Iranians, but limited it’s using to cabochon forms on rings and it’s color to yellow, orange, deep red to brown, because of meritorious of these colors based on Islamic beliefs. Rarity of these colors, as a natural color, among Iranian agate fields causes to interest Iranian agate cutters to dying techniques and dye-able colorless agates. Now Mashad, the largest holy city of Iran, which is the capital of Khorassan e Razavi province in northwest Iran, is the most important market of agate cabochon making.