Legend says his tears turned the colorless Quartz purple, thus creating Amethyst.Īmethyst is mentioned in the Old Testament as one of the twelve stones representing the twelve tribes of Israel and was also one of the twelve gemstones adorning the breastplate of the high priest Aaron (Exodus 39). Humbled by Amethystos’ resolution, and horrified at what he had almost done to her, he wept tears of wine. Before they reached her, Diana turned her into a statue of pure crystalline Quartz to protect her from the advancing tigers. Dionysus let loose fierce tigers while Amethystos was on her way to pray to the goddess Diana. One legend from Greek mythology tells the tale of Dionysus, the god of intoxication, and a young beautiful maiden, named Amethystos, who refused his advances. While pouring wine for their guests they could serve themselves water, as the dark purple hue of the gem would disguise the color of the drink so it looked like wine, thus allowing the lord appear to be partaking in a tipple! Following the same theme, it was thought in ancient times if you wished to save a drunkard from delirium you could mix crushed Amethyst into a person’s drink. In ancient times, wealthy lords who wanted to stay sober were said to have had drinking glasses or goblets made from Amethyst. THE HISTORY OF AMETHYSTĪmethyst’s use in rudimentary jewelry can be traced back as far as the Neolithic period (approximately 4,000 BC) and samples of it set into gold rings have been uncovered in burial sites from around 2,400 BC.Īmethyst is the name given to purple Quartz and some believe that its name derives from the Greek word ‘Amethustos’, ‘a’ meaning ‘not’ and ‘methustos’ meaning ‘to intoxicate’. With a fascinating history and so much color, let's explore more facts about Amethyst and its varieties. Known for having eye clean clarity in many specimens and for being readily available in generous carat weights, Amethyst remains one of the most popular gemstones on the market. The gem perfectly showcases all that this mineral has to offer, across a variety of hues from delicate light pinks to deep dark purples. Amethyst is the flag bearer for the Quartz family of gemstones, which also includes Citrine and Prasiolite.
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