Amethyst crystal
Gems and crystals have mesmerised people since ancient times. People have sweated, stolen and killed for the lure of shining pieces of rock which we call gemstones. Many gems have been believed to have magical and mystical powers and were used to bring positive energy to the owners. Apart from this, gems have been fashioned into jewelry to enhance the beauty of the wearer. The Amethyst is also a beautiful gem like the others and has fascinated mankind since first setting eyes upon it.
Amethyst is violet in color and is a member of the quartz family. Containing many minerals such as manganese, sulphur, iron and aluminium, the chemical formula of the amethyst is SiO2. Apparently, the exact formation of amethyst is still not completely known. According to what has been found out, this stone is composed of alternate strips of right-handed and left-handed quartz due to mechanical stress in the ground. Though measuring a hardness of seven on the Mohs scale, the Amethyst is fifteen times less harder than the strongest gem, the diamond. Another interesting feature of this gemstone is that it tends to turn yellow when exposed to heat and Citrine, Cairngorn and Yellow Quartz are considered as burnt Amethyst. At high temperatures, the quartz is in beta form and shows hexagonal symmetry while at lower temperatures, it shows trigonal symmetry. Good quality amethyst crystals form in the cavities of mineral veins and granitic rocks or as a lining in agate geodes within volcanic rocks.
The Amethyst is found in abundance these days with fresh deposits uncovered in southern Brazil and Uruguay. In ancient times such was not the case and amethysts were relatively rare and extremely expensive. Apart from Brazil and Uruguay, Amethysts are found in other parts ofthe world such as Vera Cruz and Guerrero in Mexico, Thunder Bay in Canada, Italy, Germany, Africa, Tibet, Srilanka, USA and the Ural Mountains in Russia. The Russian stones gave birth to the name " Siberian " to indicate the best. Apart from Russia, Guerrero in Mexico also produces excellent quality amethysts. Good quality gems have also been found in Anglo-Saxon graves in England and Aztec graves in South Ameria though the original sources are not known.
Though there are plenty of natural sources of amethyst, it is estimated that 70% of these stones in the world are synthetic and are produced artificially. The reason that amethyst gems are not tested for authenticity is that the testing is sometimes more expensive than the gem itself. The only way of making sure of getting an authentic jewel without going to the expense of having it tested, is to beware of clear cut transparency and calibrated sizes.
The history of such an unusual and beautiful gem is bound to be royal. The Amethyst has been in use by various kings and queens all over the world through the ages as a mark of royalty. It was the favorite jewel as far as royalty was concerned. In fact, the Russian Empress Catherine the Great was so fascinated by this jewel that she sent thousands of miners to search for it in the Ural Mountains. This jewel was not only a favorite of royalty, it was also considered as a symbol of trust and piety and many ranking members of the Catholic Church wear amethyst rings as part of tradition. Amethysts were also in great use by ancient Egyptians, Romans and Greeks.
There are interesting legends associated with this beautiful stone. One of the most famous legend states that the Amethyst brings protection against intoxication. The Greeks used to drink wine from amethyst goblets to avoid getting drunk. In fact, the name " Amethyst"
comes from the Greek word " amethystos " with a meaning not and "methuskein " meaning " intoxicate ". This belief has arisen from the legend of the wine god Bacchus and a lovely young girl, Amethystos. Bacchus cursed that any mortal crossing his path would be eaten by tigers. When Amethystos went to worship goddess Diana, she turned her into a colorless quartz to save her. Bacchus regretted his curse and wept tears of wine over Amethyst and this is how Amethyst got that beautiful purple color. Another varation of this legend is that when Bacchus was pursuing Amethystos in a drunken state, she prayed to goddess Diana to remain chaste. So the goddess turned her into a white quartz to protect her from Bacchus. When the wine god sees this, he repents and pours wine over her as an offering.
Other powers are attributed to the Amethyst in different cultures. It is the birthstone for February and is also associated with the astrological signs of Pisces, Aries, Aquarius and Sagittarius. The Amethyst is believed to protect crops, give protection during war, ward off evil, increase intellect and bring good luck.
The amethyst also has medicinal properties. According to gemstone therapists, amethyst has a sobering and cleansing effect. So the Greek legend was actually based on fact. Amethysts are also good for reducing stomach acids, acts as an antiserum for snake bites and insect bites. There is a legend according to Pliny, that this stone should be worn on a cord made from dog ?s hair to protect against snake bites. The stone was also used for beautification.
The amethyst has thus proved from ancient times that it is not only beautiful but is also useful. Found naturally in abundance, this gemstone might not be as valuable as other gemstones such as diamond, sapphire and emerald but it is still a regal jewel with a royal history.
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