Folklore of Sapphire, September's Birthstone

The word sapphire has its roots in several ancient languages: the Arabic safir, the Latin sapphirus (meaning blue), and the Greek word sappheiros for the island of Sappherine in the Arabian Sea where sapphires were found in ancient Grecian times.

Ancient civilizations believed that the world was set upon an enormous sapphire, which painted the sky blue with its reflection.

Ancient Persians called sapphire the “Celestial Stone.” It was the gem of Apollo, Greek God of prophesy and was worn by worshipers visiting his shrine in Delphi to seek his help. It was used by ancient Etruscans as far back as the 7th century B.C.

The sapphire was said to represent the purity of the soul. Before and during the Middle Ages, it was worn by priests as protection from impure thoughts and temptations of the flesh. Medieval kings of Europe valued these stones for rings and brooches, believing that it protected them from harm and envy. Warriors presented their young wives with sapphire necklaces so they would remain faithful. It was believed that the stone’s color would darken if worn by an adulterer or adulteress, or by an unworthy person.

Sapphires were once believed to be protection against snakes. It was said that if poisonous reptiles and spiders were placed in a jar containing the stone, the creatures would immediately die. The French of the 13th century believed that sapphire transformed stupidity to wisdom, and irritability to good temper.  It was also believed that if the sapphire was ground to a powder an ingested, it would cure colic, rheumatism and mental illness, and also improve eyesight. 

Folklore of Peridot, August's Birthstone

Peridot was considered a very spiritual stone in Ancient Egypt. Egyptian priests would brew a strong drink from the crushed up stones and partake of this hot beverage during ceremonies. It was believed that drinking peridot brought them closer to nature.  Egyptian priests also drank from cups lined with peridot to heal maladies and pay tribute to the goddess Isis.

Cleopatra, the queen of Egypt, had a deep love of peridot. While many sources from the time describe her as bejeweled in emeralds there is much archaeological evidence that the stones people were taking as emeralds were actually peridot.

Peridots were often mistaken for emeralds.  In fact, the Romans called them the “evening emeralds” because of the way they caught and reflected lamplight.  There was a long held belief that peridot burned with an inner fire that would glow at night.  In some ancient cultures miners searched for peridot during the early evening or at night when they said it was the easiest to find.

Crusaders invading Egypt during the Middle Ages found the peridot mines on Zabargad and brought many of the gems back with them to Europe.   These were used to decorate their churches.  These stones had already played a heavy role in Christianity and appear numerous times in the Bible under the name chrysolite.  Aaron the Priest, brother of Moses, wore a peridot into battle. Peridots represent purity in Christian folklore and commonly ornament high-ranking Catholic Church officials.

 In Hawaii, peridots are rare, but as one of the few natural gems found on the islands, they quickly became a treasured part of native mythology. Tiny peridot pebbles washed up onshore, causing the Hawaiians to believe they were the tears of the goddess Pele.  Pele is associated with fire, lightning, and volcanoes.  In many stories Pele is a destructive goddess, but as the Hawaiian Islands themselves were formed from the explosion of the volcanoes beneath them, the Hawaiian people felt Pele was generous as well.  Peridot is one of the gifts it is said the goddess gave to the Hawaiian people.

Throughout history it was believed that peridot could cure respiratory problems such as asthma and that the gemstone acted as a salve to heart troubles. In the Middle Ages, peridot was placed under the tongue of sick people to reduce fevers.

Modern day belief regarding the peridot says that wearing one brings good luck and peace, as well as stronger friendships, success, and a knack for attracting wealth.   In modern new age tradition it is also supposed to help soothe the wearer to deep sleep, to dispel negative energy, and calm anger.


Information shared by:  Renee Mallett for Examiner.com and JewelryNotes.com

Folklore of the Ruby, July's Birthstone

Beliefs and legends about the ruby are many.   Here is some of the folklore I was able to find about this precious gemstone.

Some ancient cultures believed that rubies, as well as other gemstones, grew on trees, just like fruit. The rubies would begin budding as small white gems, and would slowly grow and ripen, turning red in the light of the sun. When the ruby was saturated with red color, it was ready to be plucked.

It was believed that the person who possesses a good-quality ruby will live a life of peace and harmony. He or she would be protected against all danger and calamities, and would be blessed with good health, as the ruby wards off all evils.  

In the Orient, rubies were once believed to contain the spark of life – “a drop of the heart’s blood of Mother Earth,” is how the ruby is described in the Orient.  Ancient Asian stories tell that the ruby was self-luminous. They called it “glowing stone” or “lamp stone.” It’s said that an Emperor of China once used a large ruby to light his chamber, where it glowed as bright as day.

Brahmins – Hindu priests of the highest caste – believed that the homes of the gods were lit by enormous emeralds and rubies.

The Indians call the ruby the lord of the gemstones. The Hindus called the ruby the king of precious stones and the leader of gems. They used to divide rubies into castes, much like social classes. Rubies were sorted into upper class, middle class, and lower class in terms of flawlessness and beauty.  No inferior Ruby was allowed contact with a superior one because it was believed the inferior one would contaminate the better one, thereby diminishing its magical powers.

In India, those who donated rubies to honor Krishna were assured being reborn as an emperor in a future life. Hindus consider light colored rubies to be appropriate for women, and darker ones for men.

In China, a Mandarin’s rank was indicated by the color of the ruby stone in his ring.  A red jewel stone meant he was a key figure among the great.

The ruby is deemed to be the most precious of gemstones by the Bible and the ancient Sanskrit writings.  Indeed, upon discovery of each Ruby crystal, the Indian Emperor would give a special royal welcome to this King of Gemstones  
Ancient Hindus, Burmese, and Ceylonese regarded sapphires as unripe rubies, believing that if they buried the sapphire in the ground, it would mature to a rich red ruby.

In the Middle Ages, rubies were thought to bring good health, as well as guard against wicked thoughts, amorous desires, and disputes.   Rubies, along with other types of red stones, were said to cure bleeding. And it was believed that the ruby held the power to warn its owner of coming misfortunes, illness, or death, by turning darker in color.

Because of their rarity, there are very few famous large rubies.  In his 13th-century books of his travels, Marco Polo relates the tale of a magnificent gemstone – believed to be a ruby nine inches long and as thick as a man’s arm – belonging to the King of Ceylon.  Kublai Khan, the Emperor of China, offered an entire city in exchange for the enormous stone, to which the King of Ceylon replied that he would never part with his prize for all the treasures of the world.

Information shared from:
EarthSky.org
Wiki.Answers.com
Jewelsforme.com

Folklore of Moonstone

  

I love gem folklore.  I find it fascinating to read what different cultures have thought about the powers and uses of gemstones.  The following is folklore for June's birthstone, the moonstone.

"There is a bit of folklore which claims that if a man gives his lover a moonstone necklace on the night of the full moon, the couple will experience intense passion for each other forever.

The moonstone is also believed to bring good fortune, enhance intuition, offer protection, and bring success in love and business matters.

Fortune tellers decorated their crystal balls with moonstone to aid them in predicting the future. It is believed that the moonstone gem regenerates its power when placed under the light of the full moon.

Moonstone in Rome, Greece and France
From ancient civilizations to our modern-day society, moonstone has been prized and sought after to be worn as jewelry.

The Romans revered the moonstone, believing it to be born from the rays of the moon’s light.

The Greeks believed that the moonstone represented the great lunar deities like Achelois, Phoebe, Artemis, Selene and Hecate, and worshiped the stone.

 Indian Moonstone Legends

In India, the moonstone is thought to be a sacred, powerful gemstone. Moonstones there are called 'dream stones' and are believed to bring the wearer beautiful visions during sleep.

The stone is believed to bring luck in love and is given as a traditional wedding gift. Moonstones are always displayed on a cloth that is yellow, which the Indians consider a sacred color.

The legend about how the moonstone came into existence begins with a battle fought between Lord Vishnu and Bali, the demon god. Lord Vishnu destroyed Bali and broke his body into pieces. The pieces then fell to Earth as various jewels. The moonstone was formed from a piece of Bali’s eye.

Moonstone in the Middle East

In the Middle East, many women wear moonstones discretely sewn into their garments because they believe the stone is a symbol of fertility.

Amulets with moonstone are hung from trees to ensure an abundant crop.

Similar to Indians, the people in the Middle East also associate the moonstone with love matters. It is believed that a couple can predict the direction of their relationship if a moonstone is placed in their mouths at the time of the full moon.

The moonstone is also offered as a blessing to young couples. It is believed that the gem will provide fertility and help to create a large and healthy family.

  
Oriental Beliefs

In the Orient, it is believed that the moonstone gem is actually a ray of moonlight that has solidified and that a good spirit lives inside the gem. Emperors were buried with moonstone and other symbolic gems."

This information in from the website JewelryNotes.com

Folklore of the Pearl, June's Birthstone

Cultured or freshwater pearls are considered to offer the power of love, money, protection, and luck.

Pearls are thought to give wisdom through experience, to quicken the laws of karma and to cement engagements and love relationships. They are thought to keep children safe.

The Greeks believed that wearing pearls would promote marital bliss and prevent newlywed women from crying.

Ancient Greek mythology taught that pearls were the hardened “tears of joy” that came from the eyes of Aphrodite, their “goddess of love” (much later known to the Romans as Venus) as she was born, rising out of the seas on the giant half shell of a magnificent oyster.  They also believed that wearing pearls would promote marital bliss and prevent newlywed women from crying.

Arabian legend tells us that pearls were formed when oysters were seductively lured up from the depths of the ocean floor by the beautiful moon where they then swallowed moonlit dewdrops that became pearls.

Throughout Asia, pearls were revered as dewdrops from heaven that solidified when they fell into the sea. They were caught by shellfish under the first rays of the rising sun, during a period of a full moon.

Ancient Chinese folklore taught that pearls grew inside the brains of mighty dragons and that they fell from the sky when they fought.

For ages, many Christian scholars referred to the pearl as a symbolic “archetype” representation of Christ, coming into the world under the most humble and lowly of circumstances to bring luminescent light and joy into the world.

Only those with royal status once wore pearl jewelry.  These gems have adorned crowns, clothing, and temples, and were said to be a favorite of Cleopatra.

(Information shared from Bernadine Fine Art Jewelry and The Pearl Outlet.)