Crystal Grimoire
Bahia Amethyst
Chakras: Root, Third Eye, Crown
Zodiac: Pisces
Planets: Saturn
Elements: Air, Water
Summary
Only comes from 1 mine in Bahia, Brazil; points will form euhedrally, meaning rooted apart from a cluster.
Keywords
Often associated with: energy work, emotional balance, calming energy, protective, security, restful support
Emotional meaning
Often associated with: Balances emotional body and soothes nerves
Fun facts
Bahia Amethyst forms euhedrally, meaning individual points root apart from a cluster rather than growing together, a natural formation so unusual it comes from only one known mine in the Bahia region of Brazil. The name amethyst comes from the ancient Greek 'amethystos,' meaning 'not intoxicated,' and the Greeks fashioned drinking goblets from amethyst believing the purple color would keep wine from causing drunkenness. For centuries amethyst ranked alongside ruby and sapphire as one of the most precious gems in the world, until large Brazilian deposits were discovered in the early 19th century and made it suddenly abundant.
History and lore
In history and lore: Kunz recorded that some old authorities held that amethyst induced sleep, perhaps the very way it was thought to cure drunkenness, and the stone's Hebrew name tied it to dreams and visions. In the fifteenth century, the writer Leonardo held that an amethyst worn on the person had a 'sobering effect' on anyone over-excited by wine or by love. In northern India, the folklorist William Crooke recorded in 1896, amethyst was counted among the nine gems of the Nauratana, assigned to Rahu, and was said to leave its wearer unaffected by wine.
About the sources
- George Frederick Kunz (1856 to 1932), Tiffany & Co.'s chief gemologist and author of The Curious Lore of Precious Stones (1913) and The Magic of Jewels and Charms (1915).
- William Crooke, B.A., of the Bengal Civil Service, author of The Popular Religion and Folk-Lore of Northern India (1896).