The stone is found under the names ametist, ametiste, amatites, amaethist, and it was not until about the middle of the 17th century that its present form began to be adopted. To enjoy the full vibrations of the amethyst an old custom recommended that it be worn on the third finger of the left hand—a practice at one time followed by medical practitioners—and some form of ancient belief demanded that the amethyst must come in contact with the left hand before its action could be appreciated and understood.
It is well known that the magic of the ancient Egyptian temples included the art of magnetism, and the action of various mineral substances on the magnetized patient has also been noted by the more modern investigators including Dr. Babbitt, Baron Reichenbach, Dr. Ennemoser, Dr. Edmonson and Dr. de Lignieres. Stones of the earth have been especially employed by these scholars with results of such marked importance that the contention of the ancients regarding the amethyst as a charm against drunkenness, deserves respect. To be effective in the induced magnetic sleep, stones had to be placed in the left hand. Connected with the ancient belief in the sobering power of the amethyst is the beautiful allegorical legend telling that Dionysius, enamoured of a graceful nymph, pressed his love upon her, but Diana intervened, transforming her into a purple amethyst. In respect for the transformed nymph Dionysius vowed that whosoever wore the amethyst would be protected from the evils of intoxicating wines.
The amethyst was worn in ancient Egypt, and a scarab cut from a specimen was held in great esteem by soldiers who carried it on the field of battle as a charm against death by the shafts and swords of war. This practice was carried far into the Middle Ages, and many amethysts were worn for the same purpose in this last terrible war of nations. When worn by a Bishop of the Church, the amethyst is a glyptic symbol of heavenly understanding. Swedenborg likens it to a “spiritual love of good,” and Dr. Brewer writes of purple shades, indicating “love of truth even unto martyrdom.” It is stated by Patrick in “Devotions of the Roman Church,” that the wedding ring of the Virgin Mary and Joseph was of amethyst or onyx. Mr. King writes that this ring, exhibited in the Abbey St. Germain des Prés, is engraved “with two nobodies—probably liberti—whose votive legend: ‘Alpheus with Aretho’ is but too plainly legible in our Greek-reading times.” The ring, having been saved at the burning of the Abbey in 1795, was secured by General Hydrow and given to the Imperial Russian Cabinet.
In what is described by Camillus Leonardus of the 16th century as one of the magical books of King Solomon, a charm for gaining influence over princes and nobles is a rider on horseback holding a sceptre, engraved on an amethyst and set in double its own weight in gold or silver.
The amethyst has always been regarded as symbolical of the pioneer in thought and action on the philosophical, religious, spiritual and material planes. The virtues ascribed to this stone are many. It was regarded as a charm against witchcraft, poison and evil thoughts; it was an aid to chastity, a power against all forms of over-indulgence and a strengthener of the mind; it was a charm for securing the favour of princes, rulers, churchmen, people of wealth, influence and power, people with prophetic ability, poets, travellers, publishers, etc. It would strengthen the wisdom, faith and religion of the wearer and aid in prayer and in dreaming. If bound to the left wrist the amethyst enabled the wearer to see the future in dreams; to dream of the stone itself indicated success to a traveller, clergyman, sailor, philosopher, teacher or mystic, also protection, faith and fruitful thoughts. For pains in the head (headache, toothache, etc.), it was recommended that an amethyst be immersed in hot water for a few minutes, taken out, dried carefully and gently rubbed over the parts affected and the back of the neck.
Almost all authorities agree in translating the Hebrew ACHLAMAH as amethyst and in identifying it as the ninth stone of the High Priest’s Breastplate. It was the seventh precious stone which the sage Iachus gave to Apollonius of Tyana as an emblem of piety and dignity.
Many writers on the subject of planetary influences have placed this gem under the celestial Pisces, the fishes, because anciently Pisces was one of the mansions of Jupiter; but the sign of the Fishes is transparent and glistening in hue whilst in the nature of kinship a fiery gem belongs to a fiery zodiacal sign. In this direction the fiery Mars, as ruler of the sign Aries, has been confused with the Babylonian and Assyrian MARDUK or MERODACH. Marduk or Merodach represented the planet Jupiter, and to him Nebuchadnezzar addresses his songs of praise: “Merodach, the great lord, the senior of the gods, the most ancient has given all nations and people to my care.” “I supplicate the king of gods, the lord of lords in Borsippa, the city of his loftiness.” “O, god Merodach, great lord, lord of the house of the gods, light of the gods, father, even for thy high honour, which changes not, a temple have I built,” etc. The “house of the gods” is the ninth celestial house, naturally the sign Sagittarius, and in the Quabalah the ninth heavenly sphere is the Primum Mobile, the star-decked Heaven. (See “Numbers, their Meaning and Magic.”) The name Merodach or Marduk is a corruption of Mardugga (the sacred son), and because they saw the life-giving orb rising from the sea, the ancient Chaldean masters accounted Jupiter his first offshoot, hailing him as “Marduk:”—“Marduk, first born of the mighty deep, make us pure and prosperous.” The giving of prosperity is ever an attribute of Jupiter, and the measure and the source of the gift are shown in the nativity or map of the heavens at a person’s birth.
An effective talisman for the protection of horses and their riders was a winged horse cut on an amethyst. The ancients connected the amethyst with the ninth celestial mansion—the mansion of Sagittarius—and there is no reason for allotting it to any other.
ANATASE. The name is derived from the Latin ANATASES, elevation. It was so named from the length of its chief axis. This mineral is composed of Titanic acid which crystallizes in fine, transparent stones of brown, dark blue or black, of adamantine lustre. The anatase, which equals the opal in hardness, cannot be traced in ancient writings. It is rarely used in jewellery. In harmony with the philosophy of gem influence it is connected with the sign Sagittarius.
ANDALUSITE. This stone, first discovered in Andalusia, derives its name from that rich mineral province of Spain—the Tarshish of the Bible, the Tartessus of ancient geography, the Bætica of the Romans. Its colours are light bottle-green, pearl grey, flesh and pink. It is extremely dichroic, showing the twin colours red and leaf-green—the red gleaming from the stone in antithesis to its common hue. The Andalusite is as hard as the garnet or zircon. Professor Dana moistened specimens with nitrate of cobalt, after which they assumed a blue colour. This mineral may have been known to the ancients, but identification is difficult. Ancient philosophy would connect it with the zodiacal Aquarius.