Amethyst, the Gift of Bacchus
Monday, October 1st, 2012By Margaret
Amethyst was one of the oldest gemstones know to man. Derived from the Greek term “amethustos”, meaning not drunk, amethysts arrived in Greece via Egypt following the death of Alexander the Great. The ancient cultures of the Mediterranean thought that amethyst gave protection against drunkenness, and would guard warriors against harm in battle. For the Greeks, it had a close mythological association with the god Bacchus, the god of wine and liberality.
From at least the time of the Phoenicians, the color purple has been the color of royalty, and amethyst has been use since then as adornment of people of the highest rank. It’s even mentioned in the Bible as being one of the twelve gemstones found on the breastplates of the high priest of the Hebrew temple (Exodus 28:19; 39:12)
The most highly prized and valuable variety of quartz, amethyst is a hard, durable stone especially popular in the present day for bracelets, birthstone rings (it’s the stone of February), and pendants. And even without it’s lengthy history, it would still be loved for its beauty alone.
