Amber
Known as
Freya’s tears by the ancient Norse, amber is the fossilized resin
of coniferous trees. Amber artifacts and ornament dating back to the
Stone Age are found particularly in European historical sites. Most
amber is dated at 30-90 million years old, and although it is found
around the world, the most famous locations are in Russia and Poland.
A soft,
warm, golden gem, amber has long been used as a magical stone, worn
to attract love, ensure fertility, ease childbirth and to welcome newborns
with the protective and warmth associated with the stone. It is said
to enhance beauty and pleasure, due to its sensual and magnetic nature.
Emperor
Nero was a lover of amber, and the Romans sent armies to conquer amber
producing areas. Amber was considered the most suitable stone for rosaries
in the Middle Ages, and the trade was controlled by knights, making
unauthorized possession of amber in Europe illegal until the 1400’s.
Amythest
The vivid
violet birthstone of February has been coveted and made legend by almost
every culture on earth. Steeped in ancient magic, amethyst has many
attributes. It is said to protect its wearer from nightmares, and to
produce a peaceful sleep, even insuring its wearer doesn’t oversleep.
The Greeks
say amethyst became purple when Dionysus (deity of wine and merrymaking)
was annoyed with Artemis (the virgin huntress and lunar deity), so he
set his sacred tigers on a maiden named Amethyst who was attending to
her shrine. To protect her, Artemis turned her into a sparkling quartz.
Feeling badly afterwards, Dionysus poured the contents of his ever full
cup of wine over the stone statue of the maiden, and it became infused
with the color of the grapes. Since then, amethyst has been said to
protect from intoxication, and the Greeks and Romans drank from vessels
of amethyst.
Seen around
the world as a spiritual stone, the amethyst is known as the Stone of
Peace.
Moses described
the amethyst as a symbol of the Spirit of God in the High Priests robes,
eternalizing the role of amethyst in papal ornament. Also considered
a stone of the Divine Feminine, amethyst is said to symbolize wisdom
,discretion and clarity of mind. In Tibet, the stone was dedicated to
the Buddha and rosaries and prayer beads of amethyst are found there.
Amethyst
is mined in a variety of locations around the world, the largest producers
being in Brazil and Uruguay.
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Ammonite
Spiral
shaped fossils that date back as far as 400 million years ago; ammonites
are a unique and beautiful adornment. During fossilization the chambers
can became filled with many types of sediments and crystals, resulting
in pyritized ammonites and opalized ammonites as well as other variations.
Throughout
Europe, the ammonites were interpreted as resembling coiled-up serpents.
The story of Saint Patrick says that he banished all the snakes from
Ireland; those which did not leave, he rolled down the hill, and then
they turned to stone. In Britain, ammonites are still commonly known
as 'snake stones.' Resembling the coiled horns of the ram, ammonites
were named for the Roman god Ammon.
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Aquamarine
With a
fabulous color range from the palest blues to sea green shimmer, aquamarine
is an easily recognizable member of the semi-precious beryl family.
Aquamarine is found in various locations around the world, including
Madagascar, Russia and Sri Lanka, Brazil, Colorado and North Carolina.
Beads of
aquamarine were found in ancient Egyptian mummy pits, and aquamarine
is traditionally the stone of the sea goddess. Aquamarine is considered
to be soothing and calming, and is worn as a protective amulet when
sailing or flying over water. Aquamarine is a stone of peace, joy and
happiness, especially in relationships, and in the magical world is
considered an appropriate gift for a bridegroom to present to his bride
on the day of their nuptials.
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Citrine
The birthstone
for the month of November, citrine is a member of the quartz family.
Brazil is the leading producer of naturally mined citrine. Yellow is
a rare color in the gemstone world, and with a color range from pale
lemon yellow to warmer rustic autumn tones, citrine is a favorite in
the jewelry world. The name ‘citrine’ comes from the old
French word for yellow, ‘citrin’.
Traditionally,
citrine is known as the stone of success and abundance, once called
the “Merchants Stone”, it was kept in the cash box to increase
business. Citrine is also said to deflect negative energies from the
environment and protect its wearer from unsavory energies. Some say
it increases our psychic abilities and aids us in our dream world.
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Chrysoprase
Chrysoprase
is an apple-green variety of chalcedony quartz. Found in Arizona, California,
Australia and Brazil, chrysoprase is considered to be a happy stone
of luck, good fortune and health. Prized for its color and rarity, chrysoprase
is one of the most expensive of the chalcedony stones, and derives its
green color from the presence of nickel.
Magically,
chrysoprase is said to be worn for eloquence, success in new undertakings,
and to attract new friends. In the 13th century, an image of a bull
was carved into pieces of chrysoprase, making it into a magical amulet
of protection.
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Dendrite
Quartz
A curious
and pleasing gemstone, dendrite quartz appears to contain fossilized
plants and ferns, the shapes forming small trees and branches. However,
the patterns are formed by inorganic manganese oxide trapped within
the quartz during its formation.
Most included
quartzes are mined in Brazil and Africa. It is considered to be an "earthy”
or "nature spirited” stone.
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Drusy
When ground
water carrying dissolved silica is forced into a porous area of the
rock, rapid cooling often occurs, causing the formation of tiny crystals
on the surfaces or in cavities of the rock. The clear crystals often
form on top of previously deposited minerals. This is called a drusy.
Some minerals found in this form are chrysocolla, malachite, hematite,
psilomelane, uvarovite, pyrite, carnelian and cobalto-calcite.
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Fossil
Coral
Coral has
played significant roles in the magical and religious rites of the Pacific
Islands. Coral was thought to contain the ‘life essence’
of the Mother Goddess, who dwelled in the ocean, in a ‘tree’
of coral. Coral is considered to be a powerful amulet in many cultures
and is often considered to be a protector of children, a traditional
gift at times of birth and to commemorate motherhood. In ancient times,
coral was a gift from the deities. Fossil coral is the ancient remains
of coral, and carries the same properties of coral, without harvesting
living corals.
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Garnet
The fiery
red garnet comes mostly from African countries, but also is found in
India, Russia, and South America.
Garnet
has always been believed to be a protective and healing stone. Early
explorers and travelers carried garnets, and it is said that Noah used
a lantern of garnet to light the night and guide the ark. Legends of
garnet lighting the night and guiding travelers have their roots in
the scientific fact of garnet’s high refractive index. In ancient
times, garnets were exchanged between parting friends, to magically
ensure that they would meet again.
Today,
garnets are a favorite of romantics observing the Valentine’s
Day gift giving rituals.
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Labradorite
According
to an Eskimo legend, the Northern Lights were once imprisoned in the
rocks along the coast of Labrador, and then a wandering Eskimo warrior
found them and freed most of the lights with a mighty blow of his spear.
Some of the lights were still trapped within the stone however, and
thus we have today the beautiful mineral known as labradorite.
The name
labradorite comes from the province of Labrador in Canada, which is
a famous locality for labradorite with an irridescent play of colors.
Irridescent labradorite is sometimes referred to as spectrolite.
Traditionally,
labradorite is thought to bring good luck, and to help bring calm within
chaos.
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Mother
of Pearl
Mother
of Pearl is the common name for the lovely opalescent or irridescent
nacre that coats the insides of the shells of mollusks and oysters.
Nacre is secreted by the sea creature to protect the shell, and is the
same substance that coats an object lodged inside the oyster, to become
the pearl.
Mother
of Pearl was once a traditional gift for the family of a newborn, as
it was said to bless and protect them from the perils of their new existence.
Seashells were once the medium of exchange in Polynesian cultures, and
the mother of pearl is said to attract prosperity and abundance.
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Obsidian
When lava
cooled so fast it didn’t have time to form crystals, it formed
a natural volcanic glass, which we call Obsidian.
Obsidian
is found in the United States, Turkey, Mexico, Greece and Scotland,
and has been used extensively since Pre-Columbian times. Ancient Aztecs
used obsidian to create mirrors, and it was a popular mineral for creating
stone knives, arrowheads and spear points.
Considered
to be a grounding and protective stone, obsidian is said to help us
keep our focus and concentrate our energies on our intent.
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Variscite
Variscite
is a rare, sometimes translucent mineral often confused with greener
colored turquoises or chyrsocolla. Discovered in Germany, variscite
is named for the region where it was found, Vogtland. The colors vary
from light hues of green with bluish tints to darker shades of green.
Variscite is said to be an excellent stone to aid in meditation, healing
and to relieve depression and stress. It is said to be healing to the
nervous system, and right down to the DNA. Famous deposits of variscite
are found in Nevada and Utah, with deposits also found in Germany, Australia
and Brazil.
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Smokey
Quartz
Smoky quartz
is a brown transparent quartz that is sometimes used for unusual faceted
cuts. Smokey quartz is naturally occurring brown stone, a rare color
for gemstones. Its deep warm tones are the result of small but persistent
amounts of radiation occurring deep under the earth in the deposits
of quartz.
Natural
smoky quartz comes from many sources around the world. A few of the
more noteworthy locations include Brazil, the worlds largest supplier;
Pikes Peak area of Colorado, USA, and the Swiss Alps, which has produced
many tons of fine specimens.
Metaphysically
speaking, smokey quartz is said to be a grounding stone, useful for
relieving depression and for meditation.
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Staurolite (fairy crosses)
It is said
that long ago good fairies were dancing around a spring when an elfin
messenger brought news of the crucifixion of Christ. The fairies wept.
As they cried, their tears fell to the ground - forming these enchanting
crosses of stone. Long after the fairies disappeared, these amazing
crosses of the mineral Staurolite remain.
Called
fairy crosses, staurolites were thought to be a gift from the fey folk
& were associated with fairy magic. Staurolites have been carried
for centuries as protective charms. The cross represents the meeting
of the four elements.
President
Teddy Roosevelt was said to wear one for luck.
Staurolite
is the state mineral of Georgia, where it is mined, and it is also found
near Taos, NM and in Russia.
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Tiger
Iron
Tiger iron,
sometimes called mugglestone, is a combination of hematite, red jasper,
and sometimes yellow jasper or golden tiger-eye. Tiger iron is a chatoyant
stone with a silky luster. It is mined primarily in South Africa and
Australia.
It is said
to assist one to see the truth below the apparent surface of issues,
and to help with creative endeavors and all types of artistic abilities.
In medieval times, tiger iron was worn to protect one against all types
of danger.
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Topaz
The birthstone
for the month of November, topaz is one of the gemstones which form
the foundations of the twelve gates to the Holy City of the New Jerusalem.
These stones are intended to serve in protection against enemies and
as a symbol of beauty and splendor.
In mysticism,
the topaz is said to dispel sadness, anger and nocturnal fears, to warn
its wearer of poisons and protect him or her from sudden death. It is
reputed to make men handsome and intelligent and sterile women fertile
and happy.
Today topaz
is a popular stone for color enhancement, wonderful colors complementing
today's fashion trends. Treated topaz is mined from the earth, and color
enhanced by bonding it with a fine layer of titanium atoms, in a process
called vacuum deposition. This creates a flashy rainbow of colors across
the surface of the topaz gem like light moving through a prism. The
light displays a rainbow of colors or certain color spectrums depending
on angle and depth that is bonded to the topaz. Only pure white stones
of best quality are used for this color enhancement. Two of the most
popular and well-loved treated topaz colors are “mystic topaz”
& “ecstasy topaz.”
Topaz deposits
are found around the world, including well-known mines in Afghanistan,
the Czech Republic, Germany, Brazil, and the United States.
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Tourmalated
Quartz
Tourmalated
quartz is naturally occurring quartz crystal deposits with needles of
black tourmaline growing inside of it. Every stone is unique, some with
a single visible needle, others so thick with tourmaline they appear
to be black at first glance. Mined in Brazil, tourmalated quartz is
said to combine the properties of black tourmaline (grounding, healing)
with those amplification properties of quartz crystals.
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