AMETHYST

CORRESPONDENCES . HISTORY . COMPOSITION . HARDNESS . HEALTH BENEFITS . COLLECTIBLE CARD . SHOP

CORRESPONDENCES

LATE FALL
Energy

SAGITTARIUS
Northern Hemisphere

GEMINI
Southern Hemisphere

G / SI
Music Note

AMETHYST VIOLET
Color

CROWN
Chakra

Amethyst is a violet variety of quartz. The name comes from the Koine Greek ἀμέθυστος amethystos from ἀ- a-, "not" and μεθύσκω methysko / μεθύω methyo, "intoxicate", a reference to the belief that the stone protected its owner from drunkenness. The ancient Greeks wore amethyst and carved drinking vessels from it in the belief that it would prevent intoxication.

HISTORY

Amethyst was used as a gemstone by the ancient Egyptians and was largely employed in antiquity for intaglio engraved gems. The Greeks believed amethyst gems could prevent intoxication, while medieval European soldiers wore amethyst amulets as protection in battle in the belief that amethysts heal people and keep them cool-headed. Beads of amethyst were found in Anglo-Saxon graves in England. In the Middle Ages, it was considered a symbol of royalty and used to decorate English regalia. Anglican bishops wear an episcopal ring often set with an amethyst, an allusion to the description of the Apostles as "not drunk" at Pentecost in Acts 2:15. Tibetans consider amethyst sacred to the Buddha and make prayer beads from it.

In the Old World, amethyst was considered one of the Cardinal gems. It was one of the five gemstones considered precious above all others, until large deposits were found in Brazil.

COMPOSITION

Amethyst is a purple variety of quartz (SiO2) and owes its violet color to irradiation, impurities of iron and in some cases other transition metals, and the presence of other trace elements, which result in complex crystal lattice substitutions.The hardness of the mineral is the same as quartz.

HARDNESS

Mohs Scale Hardness: 7

The Mohs scale of mineral hardness is a qualitative ordinal scale characterizing scratch resistance of various minerals through the ability of harder material to scratch softer material.