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The Gemstone –
Those of you who
were born in the month of February will likely recognize Amethyst as
your birthstone; Coincidently, it is also shared by those
celebrating their 6th wedding anniversary.
This gemstone is
perhaps the most recognizable colored stone, playing a major role in
cultures going back as far as 3,000 BC. It was even considered by
some to be sacred.
Although it is
always a translucent purple, Amethyst can be found in a range of
shades. Most people describe the colors as being somewhere between
'light lavender' and 'deep purple'. It is not uncommon to even show
an occasional stripe of white in some larger stones. It may be good
to note that if exposed to excessive amounts of heat or sunlight
over an extended period, the colors may fade.
Like its
cousins, Ametrine and Citrine, Amethyst is a member of
the Quartz family. It is a durable stone and is therefore an
excellent choice for jewelry.
The legend of Amethyst –
The Greek myths
tell a tale of Dionysius (the god of intoxication) who was deeply
insulted by a human. In his anger, he swore revenge on the next
mortal that crossed his path. That person was to be attacked by
wild tigers. Unfortunately for her, the next mortal he saw was a
beautiful young woman named Amethyst. Just as she was about to be
attacked, Diana turned Amethyst into a statue of pure quartz to
protect her from the sharp tiger claws. Dionysius felt bad when he
saw the beautiful statue, and began to cry – tears of wine. His
tears stained the quartz purple. According to the legend, that is
how the gemstone called Amethyst came to be.
Symbolism –
The word
Amethyst comes from the Greek word amethystos which means "not
drunken". The ancient Greek's carved wine goblets from Amethyst to
prevent intoxication. Even today, this gem symbolizes sobriety.
Leonardo Da
Vinci said that Amethyst could dissipate evil thoughts and was able
to "quicken the intelligence."
Today, some say
that Amethyst can contribute to feelings of happiness, calmness,
love and friendship. It is also said to signify good judgment.
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