PRECIOUS STONES AND METALS
AQUAMARINE:
it’s the amulet of happy wedding, so the most suitable gift from the bridegroom
to the bride in the wedding day; it’s also an amulet for lovers because it
ensure loyalty, and an effective talisman for sailors. aquamarine has the
green/blue color of the sea, and from here it took its name. In Middle Age was
ascribed a strong power of healing to this stone in case of throath ache or
gumache: aquamarine necklaces were brought against toothache and intestinal
infiammations.
As birth stone it belongs to Scorpio, but brings luck also to Aries.
AMBER:
this stone is not more than fossil resin that belongs to prehistotic time, and
has always originated many legends; one of the most ancient theory on the origin
of amber tells that it was produced by the sun rays arrived on Earth and for
this it was sacred to the sun. In past in the East it was believed it had great
healing qualities and it was believed to be able to prevent an illness only
keeping a little piece of amber in the mouth, for this it was habit in the East
to build in amber the pipe mouth-piece.
An amber necklace protects against any witchcraft and curse if you are born
under the Leo sign, for whom is the birth stone.
Amber is also a very ancient amulet for children’s teeth, and in Germany an old
remedy provides a bracelet or a necklace made of amber for earache.
AMETHYST:
this is the birth stone of Pisces, but bring luck also to all the other zodiac
signs. In the past it was called the “beneficial stone” and brought luck to
lovers, business men, sporty and hunters. It was believed to heal many diseases
(especially headaches), takes away fears and it is the most powerful talisman
against drunkenness.
On episcopal rings is preferably used this stone and in Middle Age, thank to its
properties to heal and take away fears, were produced rosaries to sell in times
of wars and epidemics.
SILVER: silver belongs to four zodiac signs: Gemini, Cancer, Virgo and Pisces. In Egypt it was sacred to Isis and was as precious as gold. Silver is protagonist of an an ancient english remedy against convulsions: the parents of the sick person went on Sunday morning in front of the church door and collected 30 silver 6 pence coins asking them to 30 non-married men; these coins were brought by a bachelor to a smith or goldsmith who has to be non-married, who had to create from the coins a necklace. It was believed that wearing this necklaces the sick person would heal.
CORAL:
it’s one of the birth stones of Scorpio and is used as defence against madeye
since ancient times. In Egypt powdered coral was thrown on fields to protect the
crop from bad weather, frost and locusts invasions, and women brought coral as
amulet against sterility. Reduced in thin powder and mixed with water it was
used as drink against internal diseases; burnt, powdered and mixed with fat it
was used as ointment for wounds.
A coral necklace put on a child protects him against all evil energies and
prevents the pain from growing teeth.
DIAMOND:
diamond is the birth stone for Aries, but also of all who are influenced by
Mars. Ancients believed that diamond was the most powerful of all jewels against
evil, and even today the rich Hindu cover the just born children with diamond
powder during the born ceremony in hope that the child will grow filled with
virtues.
A very ancient belief teach that a diamond, to exert all its power, has to be
taken on the left part of the body and has to be put in way that it touch the
skin.
It is believed also that a diamond bring bad luck if obtained through fraud or
crime.
In the East is said that diamond never have to be used as buttons from ladies,
because this would bring to violent death.
PEARL:
this beautiful jewel, according to superstition, bring tears; this derives from
the fact that pearls are created in pain (well...actually the only one to suffer
is the oyster whose sensibility is not so huge...). Pearl is sacred to Isis and
it was believed it brought bad luck to married women; anyway at a certain point
fashion designated pearls as the perfect jewel for weddings, like to dare the
superstition.
In the East the divers wear pearls as talismans against sharks; a mix of pearls
and distilled water was used by the Romans as remedy against madness.
© 2007 Orphy | Design by Andreas Viklund