The Garnet receives its name form the Greek "granatum" meaning pomegranate seed. Though garnets can occur in almost any color, most of the mythology surrounding the garnet refers to the red variety of the stone. The garnet is the Stone of Fire, and this is illustrated in the legends surrounding the jewel.
               The association betwixt the garnet and the flame is so great, that it is said to enable one to see in the dark, ignite the flames of passion, and even cause water to boil by simply dropping a garnet cabochon, called a carbuncle, into a pot of water. Anything one associates with fire may be similarly associated with the garnet according to legend. Interestingly, there were reports of these stones even being used as bullets by various people. Several Asian tribes thought that garnet would wound worse than lead, and that these wounds would not heal. I have also found various sources, both in literature and verbal accounts, that several Native American nations believed a wound caused by garnet would not stop bleeding so it was prefered as shot.