Amethyst is clear quartz with iron inside that makes it appear purple. It is the most common quartz you will see in fine jewelry. The color ranges from pale lavender to deep purple. Amethyst is mined in Canada, the US, Brazil, Uruguay, Bolivia, Argentina, Zambia, Namibia, and Australia.
Australian amethyst tends to be darkest and rarest, while South American amethyst is available in much larger numbers.
History and Folklore
According to Greek lore, Dionysus was angry one day and swore that he would exact his revenge on the next mortal that came by. He created several tigers, informed him of their mission and went his way.
As it would happen, a lovely young girl named Amethyst was the next to come by, on her way to pay homage to Artemis and was attacked. Artemis quickly changed the girl into a statue of solid quartz. When Dionysus returned to see what he had wrought, he was overcome with remorse and wept tears of purple wine which flowed over the statue, staining it permanently.
The Greek word “amethystos” means “not drunk”. Wine goblets were often carved from this stone to prevent drunkenness.
Amethyst’s purple color has resulted in much demand for it for jewelry making throughout history. It was worn by royalty throughout Europe and Egypt.
Leonardo Da Vinci believed that amethyst had the power to drive away evil thoughts and quicken the intelligence.
Associations
- Celibacy, piety, sobriety, luck, marital fidelity, protection from baneful spells, prevention of home-sickness.
- Sacred to Buddha, Dionysus, Bacchus, Diana, and Artemis.
- Various sources name Amethyst as a birthstone for Pisces, Aries, and Aquarius.
Traditions
Catholic Bishops once wore (some still wear) amethyst rings to symbolize their piety and celibacy. Rosaries are also often fashioned from this stone.
Spiritual and Magical Uses
Amethyst is an excellent focal point for meditation or as a scrying tool. It can be used for mysteries and meditations regarding any spiritual matter, especially death and rebirth.
Worn or placed over a patient helps cleanse, purify and heal the mind, body, and spirit. It helps to balance emotions and prevents nightmares and irrational fears.
It is useful in spells to help let go of addictions.
Amethyst is often used as tip wands for healing and amethyst spheres are excellent for scrying.
Care and Feeding
You can cleanse your amethyst with salt water and/or via suffumigation and charge it in the moonlight. Avoid leaving your amethyst in sunlight because it can fade its color.
