Amethyst heart Madagascar A 50-60mm

For thousands of years, amethyst has been widely used in goldsmithing. This stone goes very well with gold. In fact, for many years, amethyst had the same value as diamonds. Then, a very large quantity of amethyst was discovered in South America, which greatly reduced its value.

In ancient Egypt, this stone was used to carve seals and amulets. Soldiers wore it to avoid fear. It also had the power to make rain fall during droughts.

But the name of this fine stone is of Greek origin. Methystos means drunkenness and the prefix "a" indicates suppression. Amethyst is therefore linked to sobriety. Several legends tell the origin of amethyst, but the best known are those of Amethystos.

In Greek mythology, Dionysus, the god of wine and drunkenness, is a god known for his excess and madness. One day, he fell madly in love with Amethystos, a young nymph. He desired her greatly and began to court her. But Amethystos wanted to remain chaste and refused Dionysus' advances. Amethystos turned to Artemis, the goddess of the hunt, to ask for her help. Artemis decided to protect her and transformed her into a white crystal statue. Mad with rage and humiliation, Dionysus threw wine on the precious statue and it began to take on an intense and pure purple color.

Another version of this legend tells that Dionysus, after several humiliations from humans, decided to take revenge. He launched tigers on humans. The first encounter was with Amethystos, a beautiful and gentle young woman. Then Artemis, goddess of the hunt, transformed her into a statue of white quartz in order to protect her from the wrath of Dionysus. Regretting his violent outburst, he poured wine on the statue as an offering. The statue then took on a magnificent purple hue.

In Christianity, amethyst was the symbol of purity and humility, because Joseph had offered one to Mary. This stone also represents love. Indeed, Saint Valentine, the priest at the origin of the lovers' festival, always wore a magnificent amethyst around his neck. Among Christians, amethyst also represents the symbol of fidelity. Indeed, the Bishops of the Vatican all wear a ring with an amethyst, signifying their devotion to the Church.

During the Renaissance, Leonardo da Vinci used it to suppress negative thoughts and to boost his creative intelligence. He noted this use of amethyst in one of his precious notebooks.

In the past, nobles used amethyst chalices to combat poisoning attempts at banquets. Or it happened that wine was poured into amethyst cups. This accentuated the color of the wine and allowed the guest to gradually replace the wine with water as they became drunk. This explanation helps us understand why amethyst is known to combat drunkenness.

In lithotherapy, amethyst helps to control irrational passions and chases away obsessive thoughts. Amethyst soothes anxieties and anger and allows mental rebalancing.

Amethyst is the stone of wisdom and humility. It promotes spiritual elevation, concentration and meditation. It stimulates imagination, creativity, clarity of mind and serenity.