What Is the Meaning of Amethyst Stones?
- For centuries amethyst was known as the Bishop's Stone because it is worn by Roman Catholic Bishops as a symbol of piety, humility, sincerity and spiritual wisdom. The color purple is also associated with wealth and prosperity in many cultures. For this reason amethyst is often featured in crowns and royal attire. Amethyst is one of the many gemstones featured in the British Crown Jewels. Egyptian royalty also chose amethyst for many of their adornments. Catherine the Great of Russia and many nobles throughout history also wore amethyst.
- Raw crystalline quartz has the same chemical composition as amethyst.quarzo image by mauro gaglianone from Fotolia.com
Amethyst is a naturally occurring form of crystalline quartz. The chemical composition of amethyst is SiO2, the same composition as clear crystalline quartz. On the Mohs scale of mineral hardness, amethyst ranks a 7, making it one of the more scratch-resistant gemstones. The hardest gemstone on the Mohs scale is the diamond, which is a 10. The Specific Gravity of amethyst is 2.66 with a Refractive Index of 1.544-1.553 - The pale green color on these amethyst crystals is rare.Quartz Crystal and Amethyst Crystal image by Stephen Orsillo from Fotolia.com
The most common colors of amethyst range from light lavender to deep purple depending on the amount of manganese and iron present during formation. Rare colors such as reddish-purple or yellowish-purple amethyst form depending on the combination of these minerals. Natural green amethysts are very rare; most green amethyst is heat treated. Amethyst containing iron with specific properties (Fe2+ iron compounds) will turn green when heat treated. - Raw amethyst crystals are found inside agate geodes.amethyst image by Vladislav Gajic from Fotolia.com
Amethyst crystals form in the inside surface of agate geodes. Agate geodes are formed when clay, silt, sand or gravel are compacted by running water. Geodes containing amethyst crystals can be several feet in height, yet only produce crystals that are a few inches long. Amethyst is mined in Brazil, Sri Lanka, India, Uruguay, Madagascar, Germany, Australia, Mexico, Africa, Russia and the United States. - People often wear amethyst for its perceived metaphysical properties.amethyst necklace image by Ferenc Gerak from Fotolia.com
Many metaphysical properties are attributed to amethyst. It is believed to aid creativity, spirituality, relaxation, meditation, psychic abilities, spiritual awareness, contentment, peace, stability, serenity, forgiveness and tolerance. The artist Leonardo da Vinci once wrote, "Amethyst holds the power to dissipate evil thoughts and quicken one's intelligence." For this reason many believe wearing amethyst can help quiet the mind and increase intuition. - Wearing amethyst is said to protect against negativity.amethyst heart image by Irina Kodentseva from Fotolia.com
Ancient Egyptians viewed amethyst as a protective gemstone. It is said to guard against negative feelings. It is often worn as protection from self-deception and against witchcraft. Traditionally amethyst is worn to guard against drunkenness and to instill a sober mind. The word amethyst comes from the Greek meaning "without drunkenness." Amethyst is also believed to protect one from poison.
