February Birthstone: Amethyst Gemstone Guide

Created by: www.birthstonebrilliance.com

The birthstone for February is the
Amethyst.

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The rich royal colour of this purple stone
has made it a prized gem for centuries and
can be found in royal collections around
the globe.
Kings, queens and religious figures have
treasured this member of the quartz
family.


About Amethyst

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The colour of amethyst is used to
symbolize Christ and Bishops wore it on
their rings.
The name amethyst comes from the Greek
word amethustos, which means ‘not to
intoxicate’ or ‘to be sober.’
The gem can actually be traced back 2,500
years before the birth of Christ to the
Minoan Period in ancient Greece.


Qualities of Amethyst

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Amethyst is considered a good choice for
any type of jewelry, as it is hard and
durable.
It has been fashioned into faceted gems,
polished and rounded into beads or domed
cabochons.
It is also beautiful left in its rough crystal
form.
As it is harder than many other materials it
is resistant to regular wear and tear.


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History of Amethyst

In Greek mythology Amethyst was a beautiful young
maiden on her way to pay tribute to the Goddess Diana. She
was not aware that the Greek God Dionysius was angered
by something said by a human and in an intoxicated fit of
rage took out his revenge on the unsuspecting Amethyst
who happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time.
Diana turned her into a statue of crystalline quartz to
protect her. Feeling remorse, Dionysius wept tears of wine
and those tears stained the quartz into the familiar purple
colour associated with the gem.


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The long list of benefits Amethyst was
believed to possess throughout history is
long and includes:
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Controlling evil thoughts.
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The ability to quicken intelligence.
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The power to create shrewd
businessmen.
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The healing of soldiers from battle
wounds and then give them strength
and lead them to victory.


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Amethyst was also believed to:
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Assist hunters find game.
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Provide protection from disease.
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Have the power to scare away demons.


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The healing effects of Amethyst have been
mentioned for centuries by:
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Healers
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Shamans
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Medicine men


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Benefits of wearing Amethyst
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Chastity
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Sobriety
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Self-control
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Also guard against anger and violence
as the gem encouraged:
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Calmness
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Bravery
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Contemplation


Locations of Amethyst

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Mostly found in Brazil and Uruguay.
Also mined in Sri Lanka, India, Germany, Finland,
Italy, Kazakhstan, Madagascar, Mexico, Namibia,
Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan and Russia.
Double terminated amethyst crystals are located
in Afghanistan.
Alpine amethyst is found in the Alps in Austria.
The Ontario amethyst is from the Thunder Bay
area of Canada and it is also found in various
locations in Nova Scotia.


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The largest opencast amethyst vein in the world is
said to be in Austria.
One of the largest amethyst producers in the world,
with an annual production of 1,000 tons, is Zambia
in southern Africa.
It is considered a very special quartz and can vary
in colour from a pale pink violet to a dark blue
violet.
Shades of red and gray are also known to appear in
some forms.


February Birthstone: Amethyst Gemstone Guide

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February Birthstone: Amethyst Gemstone Guide