It is likely that Scottish painted pebbles, which have been dated to the period 200 AD to the eighth century AD (the Pictish period) also functioned as charm-stones, often known as cold-stones. The Brooch of Lorn is an example of a charmstone set into a very elaborate brooch in the late 16th century, and worn by clan chiefs. They were credited with healing or quasi-magical powers, and often worked through water that the charmstone had been dipped into, which was considered efficacious against various ills of both humans and farm animals.

Scottish charm-stones are typically large smooth rounded pieces of rock crystal or other forms of quartz.

Typically, references to American examples use the single word charmstone, while references to Scottish ones break the term as charm-stone or charm stone. They are thought to have been regarded as having some religious or magical function, including being talismans, amulets or charms. Typically they are elongated or cylindrical and have been shaped by grinding or other human activity, and may be perforated and/or grooved. Hunt MuseumĪ charmstone or coldstone is a stone or mineral artifact of various types associated with various traditional cultures, including those of Scotland and the native cultures of California and the American southwest. The crystal ball, which weighs 200g, is mounted in a gilded copper or bronze frame with trefoil decoration and a hanging loop.

It was dipped in drinking water or hung from the neck of a cow. The 'Archer-Butler Luck Stone', once owned by the Butler family of Garnavilla, near Cahir, County Tipperary, Ireland, was traditionally invoked to protect cattle from disease.

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