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GO 340 Gemstones & Gemology
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Chalcedony in a concentric pattern is believed to ward off the evil eye! Photo by S.W. Aber 2008; Tucson Gem Shows. |
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GO 340 Gemstones & Gemology
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Chalcedony in a concentric pattern is believed to ward off the evil eye! Photo by S.W. Aber 2008; Tucson Gem Shows. |
 Rough Lapis Lazuli. Photo by S.W. Aber 2008; Tucson Gems Shows. |
Most gems are minerals and thus, the history of gems is tied closely to history of minerals. Minerals and rocks are the foundation that all present day civilization is based upon. Early humankind created tools from quartz and flint or chert. As the Stone Age progressed into the Bronze Age, metallic minerals were sought after for a variety of uses from weapons to hinges. Gemstones, or material without a utilitarian value, were luxury items and appreciated for their beauty, much the same as today.
In addition to personal adornment, gems have always been regarded as somewhat mysterious. They have been used as primitive medicines and have been quite important as amulets and talismans. Paintings in Egyptian tombs some 5,000 years ago depict the smelting of ores from metals, weighing gems, and fashioning lapis and malachite. Crushed malachite was used as a pigment for painting, as well as eye make-up for ancient Egyptians, which is created by mixing ground malachite with ants! More than 4,000 years ago, Egyptians created jewelry by stringing cylindrical beads together into a wide fan-shaped necklace called bead collars. The beads were blue faience (pron. fay aunts), a turquoise-colored glazed clay bead as well as the minerals and rocks turquoise, gold, carnelian, and lapis lazuli. The beads would eventually be polished and inscribed with symbolic markings, used to ward off evil spirits. Carving gems developed over the years and beetle images, called scarabs, were common in the 9th Egyptian dynasty, around 2050 B.C. |
To understand more about gemstone lure, read Chapter 2: Preciousness Redefined: The Modern Concept of a Gem, http://www.secretsofthegemtrade.com/chapter_2.htm, from a book by Richard Wise (Secrets of the Gem Trade, http://www.secretsofthegemtrade.com/).
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Even earlier Greek and Roman civilizations were using minerals as gems and the art of carving rocks and minerals was perfected. The early gems were used for personal adornment, the same as today; but, usually the importance to the wearer was greater than today because ancients believed the gems held magical powers, lucky talisman, amulet, or fetish.
Virtues were assigned to gems. Reddish brown carnelian was one of the luckiest jewels to wear. "No man who wore a carnelian was ever found in a collapsed house or beneath a fallen wall" and thus it was a talisman of good luck and joy for ancient Babylonians and Greeks (Kunz, 1971, p. 65). Early Christian theologians believed gazing at blue sapphire would elevate one's thoughts from earthly to heavenly matters and in the 6th century it became a ruling that every cardinal wear a sapphire ring on his right hand. Sapphire is a variety of the mineral corundum. The red version of corundum, ruby, according to Burmese legend was hatched from eggs laid deep in Earth, and has always been prized for it's red color which could shine through the thickest of layers of clothing (Harvey, 1981, p. 9). Ruby was believed to protect your house and land from storms and lightning and a woman wishing to prove her virtue should wear the ruby on her left hand as there it would control amorous desire (Harvey, 1981, p. 9).
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Orbicular chalcedony, about 1 meter high. There will be no evil eye in this area! Photo by S.W. Aber, 2008; Tucson Gem Shows. |
Garnets endow the wearer the ability to make deep and lasting friendships. They were used as bullets by some tribes, some 400 years ago, because ..."the blood-red stones would inflict a far more grievous wound on their enemies than the common lead bullet" (Harvey, 1981, p. 11).
The green emerald was often associated with Venus, the earth-goddess, and was thought to be a sacred symbol of fertility and growth. Although some believed it to be a symbol of fertility, it may have been one of the earliest forms of birth control as it was also said a woman should not wear an emerald until she was fifty! Chrysolite, or better known today as peridot or olivine, was first mined by Egyptians on the island of Zeberged in the Red Sea area. A favorite of the Pharaohs, peridot had the power to dispel dark forces. Ancient Babylonians carved symbols in bloodstone, or heliotrope (turn to the sun), which allowed the future to be foretold. Later it would become a Christian symbol, the red spots representing the blood of Christ diffusing in the green stone. In the sixteenth century it had the ability to cure nosebleeds or when placed on any wound, stop the bleeding. |
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Agates, a gem frequently formed in the vugs of volcanic rocks, sometimes have a circular, wavy or zigzag pattern that can resemble the shape of an eye; when in this shape, it was used as a amulet to guard against the evil eye or as an eye of an idol (Harvey, 1981, p. 19). From ancient times, purple has always been a color associated with nobility. At times, amethyst, the purple variety of quartz, has been held in the same value as diamond. It can be found among crown jewels and in the rings of religious leaders. Amethyst actually means "not drunken" and of course, would protect the wearer from drunkenness. Beryl was the gem connected to the biblical tribe of Gad, the tribe of good fortune. It was associated with fortune telling and many women in ancient times gazed into a bluish-green beryl sphere to foretell the future.
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Not all gems were lucky though. Onyx, the stone of sadness, was dreaded by ancient Chinese. It was believed that even entering a mine where it could be found would lead to terrifying dreams, doubts, and disputes (Harvey, 1981, p. 7).
Topaz is believed to be influenced by the Moon and therefore it shines most brightly at night. Topaz has special powers transmitted to the wearer such as long life, beauty and intelligence. However, these powers will wax and wane with the phases of the Moon. Even gem dreams had great significance. Carnelian dreams could bring misfortune and moonstone dreams could mean danger. Dreaming of jet, a black gemstone, predicted sorrow. For friendship, safety, hope and prosperity, one should dream of pearls (a symbol of purity), amethysts, emeralds, and turquoise. Now that is something to think about before bed tonite! |
One of the more well-known gem legends is associated with the Hope Diamond. This deep blue, naturally colored diamond is surrounded in mystery and could even be recovered from diamond mining as early as 800 BC (www.pbs.org/treasuresoftheworld/a_nav/hope_nav/hnav_level_1/timeline_hopfrm.html).The image to the right is the Hope Diamond, 45.52 carats, from India. Recut from the French Blue, formerly in the French Crown Jewels. Photo by S.W. Aber, 4/2009, taken at Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. |
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Legends suggest a deep blue stone was stolen from the eye of an idol and as such, any who possessed it would be cursed (http://www.pbs.org/treasuresoftheworld/a_nav/hope_nav/hnav_level_1/2_pitch_hopfrm.html). Recorded history states that a 112 3/16-carat violet-blue diamond was purchased by Jean Baptiste Tavernier, a French gem dealer, in the 17th century (mineralsciences.si.edu/hope.htm). It was likely mined in India and Tavernier sold to King Louis XIV of France in 1668 and placed among the French Crown Jewels. Five years later the gem had been recut to a 67 carat stone and referred to as the French Blue. It was set and used as ceremonial jewelry by King Louis XV, but stolen during the chaos of the French Revolution in 1792 and never officially documented again (www.pbs.org/treasuresoftheworld/a_nav/hope_nav/hnav_level_1/1_past_hopfrm.html).
However, early in the 1800s a deep blue diamond, smaller than the French Blue but a stunning likeness in every other way, changed hands several times; it was eventually cataloged among the possessions of Henry Phillip Hope. Hope stipulated in his will that his name be forever associated with the blue diamond. Untimely deaths and debt were the fate of some owners, which others used to create a mystic for the Hope Diamond. Yet, it has been a lucky gem for the Smithsonian Institution, which acquired this Hope gem in 1958. Gemological Institute of America provided a diamond grading report in 1997 (mineralsciences.si.edu/collections/hope/HopeGIAreport.pdf) and recently described and documented the Hope Diamond thoroughly by Smithsonian researchers (mineralsciences.si.edu/research/gems/hope_diamond/blue_diamond_research.html). Read the story of this uniquely colored diamond with a long and colorful history at www.pbs.org/treasuresoftheworld/ a_nav/hope_nav/main_hopfrm.html and the story and recent scientific research at mineralsciences.si.edu/hope.htm. |
This page originates from the Earth Science department for the use and benefit of students enrolled at Emporia State University. For more information contact the course instructor, S. W. Aber, e-mail: esu.abersusie@gmail.com Thanks for visiting! Webpage created: 1999; last update: August 17, 2011.
The material for this section came primarily from:
Return to the Syllabus or on to the next lecture.