The “Herkimer diamonds” of New York are not a recent discovery. The Mohawk people and early settlers knew about the crystals. They found them in stream sediments and plowed fields. They were amazed with the crystals and immediately held them in high esteem. People used the crystals as amulets, used them to make tools, and traded them with other tribes. However, people began to lose interest in the crystals when European glass beads began to arrive in the early 1600s.