Porphyry

In the County of Älvdalen, it was discovered in the early 18th century that the bedrock contained porphyry, a hard, shiny, near-black stone. King Charles XIV John bought the porphyry quarry in Älvdalen in order to provide the local poor population with a much-needed source of income. The shiny rock, which is notoriously hard to shape, was used to make exquisite objects in the late 18th and 19th centuries.