Lodolite has a load of names. (I’ll see myself out). Garden Quartz, Scenic Quartz, Landscape Quartz, Shaman Dream Stone. So, which one is it? Why are there so many different names, and which is the most accurate?
From a mineralogical standpoint, it’s Included or Inclusion Quartz. Pretty straightforward and descriptive, right? Inclusions happen when other materials get caught inside a crystal as it grows, encasing them inside. These materials can be solids like Chlorite, liquids such as water, and even gas.
All the other labels are trade names.
Trade Names
Trade names have two main purposes when it comes to crystals:
Perceived Value
Trade names can help market and sell crystals, often at a higher price. Some of them are misleading, and suggest a crystal is a different material. An example of this is African Turquoise. It’s not a Turquoise at all, but a type of (often dyed) Jasper.
Some trade names don’t mislabel the material, but make it sound nicer. Lavender Rose Quartz IS Rose Quartz. But it’s actually a lower grade version of this pink crystal. It wasn’t popular for that reason, until someone gave it a more flattering name.
Telling Crystals Apart
Geologists aren’t only concerned with the visual appearance of a rock when it comes to names. Scientific names for minerals are often descriptive of their composition. Two rocks can look very different from each other, and have the same name.
That’s where trade names shine. They help us identify and group crystals in a way that makes sense for the non-geologist.
For example, let's look at Fire Quartz and Golden Healer. They’re both Ferruginous Quartz, which just means they contain iron oxides. So their shared geological name describes the crystal’s chemical makeup.
But Fire Quartz and Golden Healer look really different. Not surprisingly, one’s red and the other is yellow. Having trade names helps us distinguish the two in a quick and easy way. Also, the names are easier for non-geologists to remember.
Right now, we're only interested in trade names to help us differentiate crystals that look visually different.
Inclusion Quartz is a very broad term. And while you can specify you’re talking about Quartz with inclusions of *insert mineral here*, that’s not exactly pithy or easy for everyone to remember. So we wind up with the trade name Lodolite, among many others. Let’s take a closer look at them!
Different Trade Names of Lodolite
Lodolite
Lodolite sounds like such a scientific, fancy name. But surprise! It literally means muddy rock. “Lodo” is Spanish for “mud” or “sludge”. (The suffix -ite comes from a form of the Greek word “lithos” [ites], which means rock, or stone). This muddy description may refer to the crystal's appearance, or where its found. We’re not sure. Maybe both. Both is good.
Despite sounding scientific, Lodolite isn’t actually a mineralogical name. So depending on the crowd, you may get some odd looks when using it.
Garden, Scenic, & Landscape Quartz
I’m lumping these names together because they’re all basically the same. Of the three, Garden Quartz is the most used. These names refer to the beautiful, sprawling formations inside Lodolite. The inclusions actually do resemble a scene, or landscape.
I’ve also seen it speculated that the name Garden Quartz refers to the energy of the crystal. It’s got a very peaceful, earthy vibe, kind of like sitting in a garden.
Shamanic Dream Stone
Some websites claim that shamans (of an unnamed culture) have used Lodolite “since ancient times” in their “vision quests”. This is problematic for more reasons than we have time to discuss today. If you do decide to use this name or explore these claims further, I recommend doing so with caution.
All I can offer is my theory where the name Shamanic Dream Stone may have come from. Lodolite is a very mesmerizing stone to look at. Its layers and swirls are very easy to get lost in. This kind of gaze can be very trance-like and meditative. Staring at the inclusions can be like staring at clouds. The more you stare, the more your brain starts to form images and landscapes to fall into.
In our current, western society, this trance-like state seems foreign and exotic. So it gets conflated with other things we see as foreign and exotic, such as indigenous cultures. Thus, shamanism.
So there you have it. Whether you prefer to call this unique crystal Lodolite or Garden Quartz, you’re right. Next time we’ll look into what, exactly, those inclusions in Lodolite are. Spoiler alert: they’re not actually gardens!
