Sardine stone

The sardine stone (also sardius; Hebrew 'odhem, from a root meaning red; Greek sardios or sardion) was a blood-red or reddish-brown gem corresponding to what we know today as red carnelian or sard — a variety of chalcedony ranging from dark orange to brownish-red. It was named for Sardis in Lydia, a city famous for producing this stone. The sardine was the first stone in the first row of the high priest's breastplate (Ex. 28:17; 39:10), representing the tribe of Reuben according to most traditional identifications. In the apocalyptic vision of Revelation 4:3, the one seated on the heavenly throne appeared like jasper and a sardine (sardius) stone, the two gems together conveying resplendent divine glory. The sardius is also listed among the precious stones adorning the king of Tyre in Ezekiel 28:13, and it forms one of the twelve foundational stones of the new Jerusalem in Revelation 21:20.