81 Amethyst Facts: Uses, Myths, Science And Much More

The purple color of amethyst has been a matter of interest for many centuries!

The beauty of this member of the quartz family is unparalleled and the fact that it is a semi-precious stone that is quite cheap adds to the number of people who own amethysts! Amethyst is a crystal that is formed due to years of volcanic activities below the surface of the Earth.

These crystals may be very cheap or very expensive depending on several factors such as the clarity, the level of impurities present, the terminations or crystal points, the size, and the color of the gem.

One of the useful things to know before investing in amethyst is that a deep purple hue would mean that the crystal is more pure and valuable.

Keep reading to know more facts!

Facts About Amethyst

Whether or not you choose to believe in the powers of crystals is a matter of personal choice. This does in no way diminish the charm and beauty of stones such as the amethyst.

This semi-precious stone has existed on the planet for several years and has been adored by many. Amethyst is used for magical rituals and religious ceremonies just as often as it is made into a piece of intricate jewelry.

• Amethyst jewelry is loved by people in all parts of the world. The love that people have for this stone is shown by the fact that there is an amethyst necklace that belonged to Queen Victoria and has since been passed down as the heritage of the Windsor.
• Like nearly all other semi-precious stones that look this pretty, amethyst is used in jewelry and as a decoration piece. It is actually a mineral.
• The prices of this purple stone are highly dependent on several factors. One of these factors is the color of the amethyst crystals.
• These crystals may appear in a range of colors, although the ones that are most commonly found are always in the range of deep purple to light lavender.
• This semi-precious stone is known to have existed on Earth since 25,000 B.C. according to the recorded set of evidence and has since been used by people for several purposes.
• Archaeological data shows it was found in burial sites as early as 2400 B.C.
• Amethysts are found in almost all continents of the world, although, some countries tend to have a better supply than others.
• Until the advent of the 19th century when large amounts of amethyst were found in caves, this beautiful stone was treated as a precious stone.
• However, when amethyst was discovered in caves in Uruguay and Brazil the prices changed drastically, as this country of South America has virtually inexhaustible supplies of the crystal.
• Eventually, more and more countries started to find their own reserves, which resulted in a worldwide drop in prices!
• One of the rather interesting facts about amethyst stones is that their price increases according to how deep the color is. This is a marker for whether or not the amethyst has too many inclusions.
• The price is also affected by the size of the terminations of the crystal points of the amethyst stone.
• The amethyst stones that you may find in Uruguay tend to have larger crystal points as compared to those that can be found in Brazil.
• Brazil is the other major producer of amethyst stones.
• These semi-precious gemstones have been used in jewelry since ancient times, and the stones are now being incorporated into modern furniture.
• Tables that incorporate large amethyst geodes are widely popular and sell for high prices.
• Amethyst is believed to be a symbol of Goddess Diana.
• The name of the amethyst stone is said to have come from a Greek myth.
• This alluring gemstone is also regarded as the official gemstone of Ontario.
• During the middle ages, amethysts became a major symbol of royalty!
• Amethysts are usually found in caves.
• People tend to go along lava tracks and dig a few holes. They then insert a camera to spot an amethyst geode if there is any.
• The surrounding rock cover is then shredded away.
• Large deposits of amethyst were found in Maine in the year 1993.
• Amethysts are said to have been used for love spells.
• This semi-precious gemstone is also considered to be a great gift for iron anniversaries.
• The range of light lavender to deep violet colors of the amethysts is imparted due to the oxidization of iron within the crystal.
• Citrine can sometimes be found in amethysts.
• Amethysts can form false citrine. This is because when amethysts are heated beyond a certain threshold, they tend to turn into a yellow color which is characteristic of citrine.
• In the rare cases that citrine and amethysts occur in the same stone, the crystal is known as ametrine.
• Chevron amethyst is a crystal that has layers of quartz white in color and amethyst.
• Amethyst is also the birthstone of people who are born in the month of February and is said to hold a special significance for them.
• This semi-precious birthstone is a member of the quartz family. In fact, if we were to go by the Greek myth, amethyst would have never existed if not for Dionysus!
• In addition to this, amethyst stands for a couple of energies and has symbolic meanings, which is why people like to have at least a couple of amethyst tumbled stones at hand just to feel safe and pure.

Amethyst's Uses

Amethysts, like other crystals, have several uses.

• The most common use of these semi-precious gemstones is in jewelry-making.
• Amethyst geode tables are used in homes.
• The gemstone can be used for the purification of spaces.
• This birthstone is considered to be lucky for the people born in the month of February.
• The gemstone is also sacred for people with the zodiac sign of Pisces.
• The gem used to be utilized in love spells.
• This gemstone was also used in the religious ceremonies of the east.
• People wore amethyst pendants in some parts of the world used to bring good health and energy.
• The amethyst gemstone is said to increase the inflow of good energies in houses.
• Amethyst geodes are often used as wishing wells.
• The gemstone is often kept under pillows to promote good sleep and reduce the occurrence of nightmares.
• People with paranoia or schizophrenia are advised against keeping amethyst.

Amethyst's Scientific Facts

Crystal formation has proper scientific explanations which have been found over the course of many years. If you want to know how and why this beautiful birthstone was formed millions of years ago, you need to look no further!

• Before we learn how amethysts are formed, we must understand what amethyst geodes are! Amethyst geodes are basically a concentrated pack of amethyst crystals that are found inside hollow rocks.
• These geodes are found in caves all around the world wherein volcanic activities might have taken place.
• In present times, it is estimated that 5,000-10,000 tons (4535.9-9071.8 met ton) of amethyst is mined annually.
• The word 'geode' basically means 'shape of the Earth' in Greek, which is a reference to the spherical shape that amethyst geodes sometimes have.
• As lava eruptions take place, air bubbles are formed in the lava which tries to rise to the top and escape. This becomes impossible due to the rapid cooling of the lava at the top layers, which shuts the opening. As a result, the air bubbles remain and water enters them.
• The water that enters these air bubbles has different compounds. In the case of amethyst, the compound which is present in abundance is iron.
• Over time, the bubble, now surrounded by minerals crystallizes.
• In the process of crystallization, the iron oxidizes. Oxidized iron takes bluish or reddish-purple hues, which are translated into what we dig up as amethysts.
• These gems are formed through years of crystallization, which is what makes them worthy of being treasured thus!
• Amethyst cathedrals are formed when these geodes are cut in two halves horizontally and shaped in a way that mimics the top sphere of a Cathedral.
• This practice is most prevalent in the making of household furniture, although, it does take away the charm of being able to see all the layers of the geode.
• Amethyst slices are also common. As the name suggests, slices are made of the entire geode, which gives people the opportunity to see all the beautiful layers of the stone.
• The Empress of Uruguay is the largest amethyst cathedral in the world.
• At the same time, it is also important to know that there is a church, Ametista Do Sul in Brazil is made entirely of amethysts.
• This town is regarded, famously, as the 'Amethyst of the South'.
• Synthetic amethysts can also be made, which mimic the properties of the natural amethyst almost accurately!

Myths About Amethyst

As with any other crystal or birthstone, even amethysts have been the focal point of many myths and legends. One of the most prominent ones is regarding the name of the stone itself.

• The name of this purple-colored gem comes from a Greek legend.
• The name originates from the Greek word 'amethystos' which means 'not drunken'.
• As you may have guessed from the mention of drunkenness, the story involves the God of intoxication, Dionysus.
• Dionysus apparently took offense from one of the insults that a human threw at him and decided to take revenge on the next mortal that crossed his path.
• This unfortunate human turned out to be an innocent woman named Amethyst.
• Amethyst was just about to offer her prayers to Goddess Diana when an animal was set to kill her according to Dionysus' curse.
• Goddess Diana saw this threat and turned Amethyst into pure crystalline quartz.
• Sensing what he was about to do to an innocent woman, Dionysus shed tears of wine that stained the quartz purple.
• There are several versions of the story but they all involve the concept of the color purple being imparted onto quartz due to tears.
• Amethyst is also known as Bishop's stone since it is said to reduce the unholy desires in pious people.
• Bishops all around the world still wear an amethyst ring for the same reasons.
• Amethyst is also the official gem for Wednesday.
• It is the birthstone for people born in February.
• Amethysts are given on the sixth and 17th anniversaries.
• Amethysts are positioned in the northeastern direction of Feng-Shui.
• It is also a symbol of Goddess Diana and Artemis.
• Amethyst jewelry is also worn for maintaining good vibrations.
• The purple stone can be used for making elixirs.
• Amethysts can also be used for the purification of homes.