Malachite has a long history as a protective stone and was used in a multitude of ways by many different cultures. The Ancient Egyptians wore malachite jewellery from as early as 4000 BC, as well as carving it into amulets and scarabs as a protective talisman. They even referred to their version of the afterlife as the ‘Field of Malachite’, as the colour green was highly symbolic of new life.
Throughout history, it has also been considered especially powerful for children to keep away evil spirits at night. Many of the ancient malachite relics found are carved with a sun symbol, which was thought to enhance further the protective properties of malachite.
In Italy, they thought that the signature swirl pattern resembled an eye and, so, wore it as an amulet to keep the harmful effects of the Evil Eye away from the wearer. Meanwhile, in Germany, it was believed that malachite would prevent the wearer from the danger of falling and would warn them of imminent disaster by breaking into pieces - a characteristic it shares with turquoise.