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Amethyst
| Chemical Composition |
Silicon dioxide |
| Colour |
Very wide colour range -- colourless, yellow, brown, purple, pink, greenish. Crypto crystalline quartz often displays exotic colour bands, swirls, and other patterns. |
| Refractive Index |
R.I. 1.553-1.554. Uniaxial positive |
| Durability |
Hardness 7 |
| Crystal Structure |
Hexagonal |
| Specific Gravity |
2.651 for crystalline material, up to 2.91 for crypto crystalline |
| Sources / Occurrence |
Extremely widespread |
| Varieties |
Crystalline Quartz—Amethyst, Citrine, Ametrine, Vermarine/Prasiolite, Rock Crystal, Smoky Quartz, Rose Quartz
Crypto crystalline Quartz—Agate, Aventurine, Bloodstone, Cornelian, Calchedony, Chrysocolla Quartz, Chryoprase, Fire Agate, Jasper, Pertrified Dinosaur Bone, Petrified wood, Prase, Sard, Sardonyx, Tiger’s eye and Turritella. | | |
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The name ‘Amethyst’ is derived from Greek ‘Amethystos’ meaning ‘not drunken'. |
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Amethyst, the purple gemstone was treasured by the Roman gods, as a Talisman to ward off the intoxicating powers of Bacchus. It is the traditional birthstone of February. According to an ancient legend Amethyst was the name of a beautiful nymph, who protected crops from insects. Greek mythology talks of the legendary Amethyst thus. Dionysius (the God of Wine) in an argument with a mortal one-day became aggressive and decided to kill the next mortal that crossed his path by unleashing ferocious tigers on them. So, the mortal to come along was none other than the beautiful maiden Amethyst. As soon as Dionysius released the tigers, Diana, the goddess of hunt, turned Amethyst in a statue of pure crystalline quartz. The very sight of the beautiful Amethyst, made Dionysius realize the futility of his anger and he wept tears of wine, which turned the statue purple.
Amethyst quickens wits and increases telepathic powers. Using it for several weeks aids sobriety and helps overcoming alcoholism and other addictions. |
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