€65,00 EUR
A birthstone for February, amethyst is a much loved choice for jewellery in all it's forms. Natural crystals, polished cabochons, carefully cut gemstones, even polished slices of geodes, no matter how amethyst is presented, it is always beautiful.
Did you know the name amethyst is derived from the Greek Amethystos, meaning not intoxicated? The ancient Greeks believed amethyst prevented drunkenness. This is why they often carved wine goblets out of it.
The French poet Remy Belleau (1528–1577) invented a myth in which Bacchus, the god of intoxication, was pursuing a young maiden named Amethyste, who refused his affections. Amethyste prayed to the gods to remain chaste, a prayer which the goddess Diana answered, transforming her into a white stone. Humbled by Amethyste's desire to remain chaste, Bacchus poured wine over the stone as an offering, dyeing the crystals purple.
Amethyst photo by JJ Harrison (https://www.jjharrison.com.au/) - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7515666