jasper

Colorful chert, in varieties known as jasper, flint, agate, chalcedony, and others, have always intrigued me. So, when I recently saw a carpet of dark red jasper covering the surface of a river terrace in a remote corner of Utah, I was amazed. I wanted to learn more about how this chert bed formed and about the indigenous people who had left ancient rock art and storage structures nearby – and I found some fascinating information.