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Stone: Amethyst, "the sobriety stone"
Birthstone Month/Zodiac Association: February/Pisces
Affected Chakra: Crown Chakra
Healing Properties: Amethyst is an all-purpose stone to increase spirituality and enhance intuition. It is known to help open gateways to spiritual consciousness and and can bring about a change in thought patterns. Amethyst works as a great travelers talisman by alleviating homesickness. Because it is a type of quartz with similar vibrations, amethyst helps clear a cluttered mind during meditation and tame pain from headaches. It has a sedative energy that calms the mind to promote peace, contentment and inner strength.
History of Use: Amethyst is a crystalline quartz mineral that owes its color to iron and aluminum impurities. Its purple color ranges from pale violet to deep purple. Without impurities, Amethyst would just be a clear crystal. Pale-colored amethyst is sometimes called "Rose de France" and can be seen in Victorian jewelry. Amethyst is mined in a variety of places around the world. Generally amethyst from South American tends to be available in larger sizes than African amethyst but amethyst from Africa has the reputation for having a more saturated, color in small sizes. Very dark amethyst, mostly in small sized, is also mined in Australia.
The word amethyst comes from the Greek word "amethystos" meaning "not intoxicated." It is said crushed amethyst was used by the ancient Greeks and Romans in their wine. That way, they could water down their wine meaning less alcohol, but still retain a purple appearance. They also carved their wine goblets out of amethyst stone.
There is a Greek myth of how amethyst got its purple color. Once Dionysus was angered by Artemis that he set violent tigers upon a maiden attending her shrine. To preserve the maiden, whose name was Amethyst, Artemis petrified her in a sparkling quartz to protect her from the brutal claws. Dionsysis wept tears of wine in remorse for his action at the sight of the beautiful statue. The god's tears immediately stained the quartz purple creating the famous gem.
Since purple is considered one of the royal colors, amethyst has quite a historical importance as an insignia of power. Fine amethysts are featured in the British Crown Jewels and were also a favorite of Catherine the Great and Egyptian royalty.
The word amethyst comes from the Greek word "amethystos" meaning "not intoxicated." It is said crushed amethyst was used by the ancient Greeks and Romans in their wine. That way, they could water down their wine meaning less alcohol, but still retain a purple appearance. They also carved their wine goblets out of amethyst stone.
There is a Greek myth of how amethyst got its purple color. Once Dionysus was angered by Artemis that he set violent tigers upon a maiden attending her shrine. To preserve the maiden, whose name was Amethyst, Artemis petrified her in a sparkling quartz to protect her from the brutal claws. Dionsysis wept tears of wine in remorse for his action at the sight of the beautiful statue. The god's tears immediately stained the quartz purple creating the famous gem.
Since purple is considered one of the royal colors, amethyst has quite a historical importance as an insignia of power. Fine amethysts are featured in the British Crown Jewels and were also a favorite of Catherine the Great and Egyptian royalty.
Up next: Chrysocolla
nice information about amethyst, i like this stone but I'm confuse to buy one in market, any there was no true, how can i know types of amethyst in the best quality? pleas comment answer
ReplyDeleteFrom my understanding about the gemstone market today, the amethyst stone tends to be more valuable as the stone is clearer and the purple color gets darker. Also the size is a factor too.
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