Peridot or Sardonyx- August Birthstone
The peridot, the birthstone of August, is so radiant that it was
called the "gem of the sun" by the ancients who believed
it had the power to ward off darkness. The peridot is bright olive
green, so brilliant that it flashes even in dim light.
The peridot was favored for earrings because of the
belief that its power over light was transferable to sound and would
make even the faintest sound more audible. The peridot was thought
to put evil spirits to flight, drive off the terrors of the night,
and endow its owner with a sane mind, a kind temperament, and persuasive
eloquence. For the peridot to exert its full powers as a talisman,
however, it had to be set in gold. For it to work as a defense against
the wiles of evil spirits, the stone had to be pierced and strung
on the hair of an ass and then attached to the left arm!
When ground into a powder, peridot was taken as a
remedy for asthma and when held under the tongue, it was supposed
to lessen the thirst of a fever.
Many beautiful examples of peridot were brought back
from the Mediterranean area during the Crusades, by loot or by trade.
These found their way into the cathedrals of Europe where they were
presented as emeralds. The peridot is sometimes called the "evening
emerald."
The most important source of peridot has been the
island near Egypt in the Red Sea now known as St. John's (formerly
Sebirget, which is the Arabic word for Peridot). It is here that
the most beautiful medium-dark-green crystals are found. The mines
that produced peridots were worked as early as 1500 BC., and in
those days Zebirget was known as the Isle of Serpents because it
was infested with poisonous snakes that made mining operations difficult.
Later, a reigning Egyptian monarch had the snakes driven out so
that work could proceed. The workers who lived on the island were
forced by the king to dig for the stones and deliver them to the
royal gem cutters. Reportedly, because it was difficult to distinguish
the lustrous peridots in daylight, the searchers would go out at
night, mark the location of the stones, and return the next day
to work the area. The monarchs valued the stones so highly and feared
theft so greatly, that guards were posted and ordered to kill any
suspicious persons approaching the shore.
As the birthstone for August, the peridot assures
married happiness.
The sardonyx, the alternate birthstone for August,
was one of the stones set into the breastplate of the High Priest
Aaron. In the Book of Revelation it is the fifth stone in the foundation
of the New Jerusalem.
This stone is multi-layered and its name is derived
from that quality and the fact that it is a reddish-brown veined
onyx. The name is used incorrectly for carnelian and, more often,
for sard or carnelian onyx.
The sardonyx is known as the "gem of courage"
for orators and bashful lovers. It was said to be a charm against
such assorted afflictions as warts, boils, cramps, the evil eye
and the wicked thoughts and impulses of witches.
It was a favorite gem of the ancients and many thousands
of years ago the Egyptians engraved these gems as scarabs and beetles
and wore them as talismans. Roman soldiers often wore sardonyx stones
engraved with Mars, the god of war, to render them brave and fearless
in battle. Probably the most famous sardonyx was the one set in
the gold ring and carved with the portrait of Elizabeth I. The Queen
gave this ring to her lover, the Earl of Essex, as a memento and
keepsake.
Birthstones
Other Gemstone Learning
|
