Ammolite History

Remember that sun god Ammon? Ancient Roman naturalist Pliny named the fossil ammonia cornua, meaning “horns of Ammon,” after its shell.

Ammolite is perhaps most spiritually significant to Canada’s Blackfoot Nation tribes, who have used it for centuries. They call ammolite Iniskim, or “Buffalo Stone,” after a popular legend.

The legend starts during a tragic winter, as departed buffalo herds and frozen crops spelled starvation. One night, the Spirits sent a woman a dream with instructions to find a magic, colorful stone. After looking for days, she found ammolite in a cave.

The ammolite told her the steps for a ritual that would make the buffalo come back, so she completed the ritual. She returned to camp to see the buffalo herds had come back, and the threat of starvation was gone!

The Blackfoot people use Canadian ammolite as an amulet for luck while hunting buffalo and in ceremonial medicine bags for healing.