Rockhounding and Our Primordial Fascination With Crystals |
Many rockhounds have had a lifelong fascination with collecting stones.
A new study highlights an innate primordial attraction for crystals found in nature.
Object preference was demonstrated in chimpanzees for translucency and symmetrical geometric shapes.
My idea of a relaxing weekend away is a luxury spa with a great book in a quiet place. My husband’s preference is to go gem collecting with fellow rockhounds. For years I just thought this was quirky and did not pay much attention. Then he announced he was going to Mount Ida in Arkansas to mine crystals. He returned from this trip with bags of quartz crystals that he dug out of the mountain. I did not anticipate how much the crystals would captivate me. I cleaned them until they sparkled, and imagined that some resembled animal figures. I decided to join him on his return excursion. It was on this trip in the mountains of Arkansas that I was transformed into a full-fledged rockhound.
Mystical and magical powers have long been ascribed to crystals. The practice of scrying, or receiving prophecies or spiritual guidance by gazing into mediums such as crystals, has gone on for thousands of years. Rachel Syme wrote in The New Yorker that “The best scryers looked into it and came out spinning stories, making meaning where before there was none, all from a hunk of polished cave rock.” (Syme, R, 2019).
For millennia, people have turned to crystals for faith and healing and sometimes even for science, hope, and wisdom. There are certain similarities with turning to religion during times of stress and uncertainty. Crystals are commonly displayed at spas as some consider them to be intricately linked with healing, wellness, and relaxation.
Rockhounding adventurers: It is not just science
Rockhounding is the hobby of searching for, collecting, and learning about rocks, minerals and gemstones. It combines the best of hiking in beautiful scenic landscapes, the thrill of treasure hunting, and a love of sparkling gemstones.
Areas throughout the country—on mountains, near rivers, and in deserts—are rich in specific gems or minerals, and stones can easily be collected or dug up with simple hand tools. This is a great way to explore different regions while choosing places with an abundance of the gems you enjoy. Trips can focus on particular types of minerals such as gemstone, crystals, fossils, meteorites or geodes. You can find treasures such as aquamarines, amethyst, peridot, agate, rose quartz, turquoise, topaz, morganite, and many others.
Not only is it a serene and meditative way to commune with nature but you can cherish your souvenirs long after your adventure. You can display them around your home as paperweights or figurines. I have taken rough gems dug up from the earth to a lapidary (gemstone cutter) who transformed them into expertly cut shiny gemstones with which to make jewelry. A local jeweler then set the stones, creating pieces I love to wear and that hold special meaning.
The intrinsic allure of crystals
A new study by Garcia-Ruiz et al, examined the primordial fascination with crystals. The authors noted that there is evidence that humans and their progenitors have collected crystals for at least 780,000 years despite no apparent survival benefits (Garcia-Ruiz et al., 2026). In the study, chimpanzees were videotaped in order to observe their interactions with crystals. When given a pile of pebbles with crystals mixed in, the chimpanzees were more likely to seek out crystals with transparency and luster. They also chose pieces based on morphology, with a preference for symmetrical, geometric shapes. Remarkably, the chimpanzees were observed holding the crystals close to their eyes and inspecting them while relaxing near the window to observe the crystals against the light. These results suggest that the qualities of transparency and symmetry attracted the attention and interest of the chimpanzees and guided their preferences of object selection. These characteristics are not commonly found in nature, and objects with these features captured their attention—as they do for humans (Garcia-Ruiz et al., 2026).
The Morefield Gem Mine in Amelia, Virginia, operated from 1929-2018 and was renowned for its abundance of amazonite, topaz, beryl, garnets, and amethyst, among other stones. Since 1996, Sam Dunaway and his wife Sharon have been the owners. Sam, a retired mining engineer, described being fascinated by rocks since early childhood. He told me, “As a kid, all I really wanted to do was analyze my rocks…I analyzed everything imaginable...I’m pretty much of a seeker, a looker, an analyst.” (S. Dunaway, personal communication, April 4, 2026). He described an innate satisfaction in searching and digging for rocks that people, even small children, enjoy for hours. They like turning over things on the ground and finding unique, interesting, and pretty pieces. Visits to the mine are filled with surprises. Sam marveled at how people love to tell the stories of finding their treasures. For those new to the hobby, he offered this advice: “Go with somebody else and see how to do it…when you go and do it, that's different than talking about it.”
Garcia-Ruiz, J.M., de la Rosa, T., Delval, I., Bustelo, G. (2026). On the origin of our fascination with crystals. Frontiers in Psychology, Volume 17 frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1633599/full
Syme, R. (2019). Crystals’ resurgence in the self-care age. The New Yorker, Screening Room. newyorker.com/culture/screening-room/crystals-resurgence-in-the-self-care-age
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