Green Onyx Bowl, 3 Inch Diameter

Carved from genuine green onyx. Each bowl is cut from natural stone, so the banding and the depth of green vary from piece to piece; yours is the only one like it.

A compact 3 inch diameter. Small enough for a bedside altar or a travel kit, large enough for a pinch of salt, a few stones, or a tealight.

Stone for grounding and offering. Stone dishes have held offerings since altars existed, and the weight of onyx anchors the Earth quarter of the altar.

• Diameter: approximately 3 inches
• Material: genuine green onyx (natural banded stone; color and pattern vary)
• Weight: about 8 oz

A stone bowl is used as an offering dish and altar vessel in Wicca, Hoodoo, and folk practice, holding salt for Earth, water for Water, or the offerings of bread, coins, and flowers left for spirits and ancestors. Green onyx in particular is used for grounding and protection work in eclectic crystal practice: onyx has a long reputation as a stone of steadiness and defense, and its green banding adds the color of growth and prosperity.

Onyx dishes and cups appear in ancient Egyptian and Roman craft, where the banded stone was carved for vessels precisely because it was beautiful and held up. You can use this bowl to hold the salt you cast a circle with, to keep tumbled stones and rings, as a small scrying dish with a little water at the dark moon, or as the dish you leave an offering in. Wash it, dry it, and it is ready for the next working.

1. Rinse the bowl and dry it, then cleanse it with incense smoke or a night in moonlight before its first use on the altar.
2. Fill it with coarse salt to stand for Earth in the north, or with water for the west, and let it anchor that quarter during ritual.
3. Use it as an offering dish: a few coins, a piece of bread, a flower, or a spoonful of honey left for ancestors or spirits, emptied respectfully afterward.
4. Between rituals, let it hold tumbled stones, rings, or a tealight so the altar never sits empty.

Some witches keep one bowl for salt only and another for offerings. Your altar will tell you what it needs.

• Sea Salt, Coarse, 1 oz: Coarse sea salt to fill the bowl for Earth, cleansing, and circle casting.
• Altar Bell With Pentagram Design, 2 1/2 Inches: An altar bell to ring the space open before you set out the offering.
• 7 Chakra Tumbled Stones, Set of 7: Seven tumbled stones that rest beautifully in a stone bowl between workings.
• Tree of Life Altar Cloth, 36" x 36": A cloth to set beneath the bowl and give the altar its ground.
• Bay Leaves, Whole, 1 oz (Laurus nobilis): Bay leaves to leave as an offering or to burn from the dish in a small wish working.

What is a green onyx bowl used for on an altar?

A green onyx bowl is used on an altar as an offering dish, a salt or water dish for one of the elemental quarters, and a holder for tumbled stones, rings, and small tools. It suits grounding and protection work, since onyx is a stone of steadiness, and its green color adds growth and prosperity.

Is green onyx a real onyx?

The stone sold as green onyx is a natural banded stone, and in the trade that name covers both true onyx and the banded calcite carved in the same regions. The listing describes it as genuine green onyx. Either way it is real stone, carved from a single piece, with natural variation in color and banding.

Can I put water or salt in this bowl?

Yes, the bowl can hold water, salt, oil, or dry offerings. Dry it after water or salt sits in it for long, since salt can leave a film and stone can stain with prolonged wet contact. A quick rinse and a soft cloth keep the polish bright for years.

How do I cleanse a stone bowl?

Cleanse a stone bowl by rinsing it in cool water, drying it, and passing it through incense smoke or leaving it under the full moon overnight. Avoid harsh cleaners and long soaks. Many practitioners re-cleanse the bowl whenever it changes jobs, for example after it has held an offering and before it holds salt.

What size is this bowl and what fits in it?

The bowl is about 3 inches across, a small altar size. It fits a tealight, a handful of tumbled stones, a couple of rings, a spoonful of salt or honey, or a folded petition. It is not a large offering bowl; think of it as the dish for one focused working or one quarter of the altar.