Chances are good that you’re familiar with amethyst already. From the month of February to wedding anniversaries, and from wisdom and dreams to love and protection, amethyst is a mainstay among popular minerals.

Scientifically speaking, amethyst is just a purple variety of quartz, one of the most common minerals on Earth. (Irradiated iron within the stone gives it that purple hue!) Historically, amethysts were as highly valued as emeralds or rubies, and aside from being beautiful, they were thought to help with drunkenness: in ancient Greek, the word “amethystos” actually meant “not intoxicated.” Many cultures across the world also associated amethyst with protection–from bad dreams, for example, or “evil thoughts.” People wore carved amethyst trinkets or placed them under pillows.

These days, amethyst is familiar as the birthstone for February and a common gem in jewelry (thanks to some massive amethyst deposits in South America, which drove down its price considerably in the 19th century). And of course, it is still thought to have healing or soothing properties in popular culture. One article I came across described it as “the world’s most popular purple gem”–but given that there seem to be about two dozen different purple gems in the world, I’m not sure if that’s impressive or not. 😉

In any case, here are a few more random facts to round out your knowledge of amethyst!

  • Amethyst has been associated with many deities, including Bacchus, Dionysus, and Diana.
  • Wearing amethyst jewelry is thought to help release negative emotions or stress as well as discourage “self-deception” (which is linked to amethyst preventing intoxication–the stone’s influence helps you keep a clear head, I suppose?).
  • And if you’re wearing amethyst jewelry, you’re in luck! Amethyst is relatively hard (a 7 out of 10 on the Mohs scale) and resists cleaving, so it’s unlikely to break.
  • Plus, if you’re wearing amethyst, you’re in good company–historically speaking, St Valentine was said to wear an amethyst ring bearing a carving of Cupid.

Selected Sources

“Amethyst: Overview.” Gemological Institute of America (GIA). https://www.gia.edu/amethyst

Cunningham, Scott. Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Crystal, Gem, and Metal Magic. 2nd edition. Llewellyn Publications, Minnesota: 2020.

King, Hobart M. “Amethyst.” Geology.com: Geoscience News and Information. https://geology.com/gemstones/amethyst/