Contents
Amethyst, a purple gemstone belongs to the quartz family. It is one of the dearer gemstones used since ancient times for necklaces, pendants, rings, or amulets. Today Amethyst geodes are found mainly in Brazil, Nambia, and Uruguay.
How does Amethyst get its distinctive color? What does the word Amethyst mean? Read more to find out all about Amethyst – its defining features and properties, its remarkable history, and healing properties.
Fact sheet
The name Amethyst is Greek and means “to counteract intoxication” or “not drunk”. This gives us a bit about the history and tradition of this gemstone.
The ancient Greeks believed that this gemstone could protect you from intoxication, so according to the belief, someone who drinks wine from an Amethyst cup will not get drunk.
From a delicate pink to a deep violet or intense purple. After heating, also yellow to brown.
Oxides; oxygen to metal = 2 : 1
Varied; mostly faceted (Brilliant, Briolette, Navette); also smooth cabochon cut
Usually a low-cost gemstone; dark purple Amethysts are very valuable.
Citrine yellow Prasiolite (green Quartz, Vermarine or green Amethyst); Ametrine (a combination of Citrine and opaque, white-violet colored variety of Amethyst quartz.
According to tradition, the Amethyst rules Pisces and Aries as a compensation stone, and Capricorn as a birthstone.
Impact and History
While the ancient Greeks believed that Amethyst protected you from drunkenness, people of the 5th-century said that the gemstone was protection from disaster. So strong was the belief, that even grave robbers in the Merovingian cemeteries did not raid the Amethysts used at burial.
Amethyst was also used as a talisman to expel evil thoughts and to attain justice.
Interesting facts about the Amethyst stone
The largest Amethyst
The largest Amethyst ever discovered has an impressive weight of about 6.5 tons and a height of 4.8 meters.
It was transported across the Atlantic by ship and is currently in the Dietinger Museum of Crystals and Fossils. The largest deposit of Amethyst in Europe is Maissau, a town in Lower Austria.
Birthstone
Amethyst is one of the birthstones of February. Moreover, it rules the zodiac signs Pisces, Aries, and Capricorn.
People have been assigning gemstones according to months of the year for a long time.
Under Birthstones you can find out which gemstone fits to your birthday!