Angel Pendant with Immortal Amethyst
If ever a stone could be immortal it must surely be the glamorous Amethyst. The regal beauty and elegance of Amethyst has been revered by emperors, kings, clergy and poets throughout the ages. Moses described it as a symbol of the Spirit of God in the official robes of the High Priest of the Jews, and the Russian Empress Catherine the Great sent thousands of miners into the Urals to look for it.
A large number of miraculous powers are attributed to the amethyst in all sorts of cultures. It was said to protect crops against tempests and locusts, bring good fortune in war and in the hunt, drive out evil spirits and inspire the intellect.
As in the ancient myth, a drunken Dionysus, the Greek god of fertility and wine was pursuing a maiden named Amethyst, on her way to the temple of Diana. When the maiden refused the drunken god’s affections, she was turned to quartz. But when the god saw the girl thus, he was overcome with love and sorrow. He wept upon her statue and his wine-purple tears stained the stone forever. Perhaps this is why cups and goblets carved from amethyst were once used to insure the drinker would not become intoxicated, as amethyst was considered to be a powerful antidote against drunkenness.
A little study of the works of Pliny will reveal that this gemstone, if worn round the neck on a cord made from dog’s hair, affords protection against snakebite. Later, Hieronymus even reported that eagles placed an amethyst in their nest in order to protect their young from vipers.
Wherever we find Amethyst we find stories and these are just a few I have collected for you. There are many more, but I will leave them for another day.
Love,
Linda.