Linked to both royalty and spirituality, amethyst, with its rich purple color, has intrigued and enchanted us for eons while Greek mythology tells us the origin story of this beloved gem. According to the myth, Dionysis, the nature God of wine and revelry, is responsible for the formation of amethyst. Out and about one day, he was insulted by a mortal and in his anger vowed vengeance upon the next person he saw. That person happened to be a beautiful young woman, Amethystos, who was on her way to visit the Temple of the Goddess Artemis. Still smarting from the insult, Dionysis sent tigers after her, while a terrified Amethystos prayed to the Goddess Artemis to save her. Artemis answered, turning Amethystos into a white quartz crystal. When his rage subsided, Dionysis recognized what had happened. He was remorseful and cried tears of wine onto the crystal, turning it purple and creating the first amethyst. There are some variations of this myth, but they all end with the tears of Dionysis giving amethyst its purple hue.
Amethyst as Symbol of Royalty
Thought to have been discovered some 25,000 years ago, amethyst has been a popular gem since ancient times. The ancient Egyptians were among the first to record the use of amethyst, which they considered a divine gem, believing that it provided safe passage into the afterlife. They carved protective symbols into the stone and then wore it as a talisman. It is thought that the legendary Queen Cleopatra wore an amethyst ring, lending the stone even more cachet at the time.
During the Roman era, amethyst was venerated by the emperors as a symbol of affluence and luxury, a prestigious emblem that linked its owner to divine favor and power. In Greco-Roman culture, Amethyst was important as it was believed that it would prevent drunkenness. Wine goblets were adorned with amethyst and the gem was also carved into wine goblets to prevent intoxication when imbibing, it was thought to bring sobriety and clear thinking to the one wearing the gem.
Throughout history and around the globe, amethyst with its regal purple hues, was as valuable as ruby, sapphire and diamond. This heavenly purple quartz has long been a symbol of royalty and divine connection as well as piety and spirituality.
Amethyst in the Middle Ages
During the Middle Ages, amethyst remained one of the more important gemstones due to its status as a symbol of divine favor. Royals and nobles adorned themselves with the purple gem to show their power and wisdom. In Medieval times, amethyst was thought to stop headache pain, insomnia, anxiety and anger.
Amethyst also held a central role in the priesthood during the Middle Ages. The lush purple hue of the gem, its connection to a higher power and its alleged capacity to calm and focus the mind during prayer, made it desirable to the higher ranking clergy. Believing that Amethyst was a connection between heaven and earth, the gem was frequently set in a simple gold ring that was then worn by Bishops, earning it the tag of “Bishop’s Stone”. The clergy also considered amethyst to be protection against negative thoughts and demonic encounters. Many of these ideas about amethyst held true through the Renaissance when the gem was still considered to be a symbol of divine favor, royalty, spirituality and enlightenment.
Amethyst was quite abundant and a large find of the gems was discovered in the Ural Mountains of Russia during the 1700s. Catherine the Great (ruler from 1762-1796) held the gems in high esteem, even using them as a focal point in one of her tiara’s. The Ural Mountains produced some of the finest amethyst ever discovered, a rich purple color with flashes of red or blue undertones that added to the allure of the gem.
Victorians Loved Amethyst
The purple gem reached the peak of popularity during the Victorian era (1837-1901) when it was associated with elegance and romance. Big, faceted amethyst were made into linked necklaces frequently with a detachable pendant all made of the violet hued stone. Suites, or sets, of jewelry were very fashionable in the Victorian era and amethyst was often used due to the easy availability of large size gems.
A couple of major events during the latter half of the 1800s caused the popularity of amethyst to decline. There was a major amethyst find in Brazil, which made the gem so abundant that it weakened its value financially as well as its social value. With the large supply and lower prices, amethyst was no longer exclusive to the elites, who now focused on diamonds after a large discovery in South Africa made them more readily available.
The second major change that came about was the arrival of electricity during the late 1800s. This new technology changed lighting, which went from the soft glow of candlelight to the bright lights charged by electricity. Dark fabrics and dark colored gemstones didn’t look the same under this new type of lighting, they sometimes looked drab, even gaudy, instead diamonds, which sparkled magnificently in these new lights, began to become more popular.
Amethyst Today
While there was a little slowdown in the use of amethyst in the early years of the 20th century, by the 1940s, the gem was making a major comeback. The purple stone was central to oversized cocktail rings and other jewelry of that decade. As we marched into the 1960s and 1970s it became popular once again as colored gemstones took centerstage, often pairing with hardstones such as turquoise or coral. Today, the February birthstone is trending for its luscious color and its message of devotion, making amethyst an excellent choice for an engagement ring, or everyday jewelry.
Top of Page: Antique amethyst, diamond, 18-karat gold and platinum brooch.
Late Victorian amethyst and 18-karat gold fringe necklace, England, circa 1900; Italian archeological style amethyst and 18-karat gold fringe earrings, with Vatican maker's marks, circa 1860s; Victorian amethyst, diamond, silver and 18-karat gold ring; Amethyst, diamond and 18-karat hammered gold cuff bracelet, signed David Webb, circa 1990s.
Authored by Amber Michelle