Diamonds were worn by aristocratic families to ward off the plague during the Middle Ages. The poorest people always died first, since they lived closer to the docks, where the ships often brought the plague from other countries. The rich had an idea that since the poor went first, that displaying their wealth (diamonds) would keep them from infection. This just goes to show how naive people were about what really caused the plague.

• The crystal has always been greatly prized in Scotland. Several clans possessed crystal balls which were regarded as "stones of victory," and water in which they were washed was given as medicine to sick men and cattle.

• Some of the Mexican Indians believe that the souls of both living and dead people dwell in crystal.

• Nephrite jade is found in abundance in Tewahi Punamu in New Zealand, and on the west coast, it is called "Punamu Stone." The Maoris wear figures of their ancestral gods in Nephyrite, suspended around their necks.

• Materia Medica by Dioscorides (2nd century) was a textbook of pharmacy for more than 1600 years. Volume Five pertained to the use of over 200 stones.

• During antiquity, quartz crystals were believed to have been forced by the action of intense cold on the still waters found in mountainous caves. It was not until the 1770's that this theory was rejected.

  Crysallos literally meant "frozen ice."

• When miners dug in South Africa, in the earliest times, they sold red garnets as "Cape Rubies."

• Gems have always been used as talismans to protect their wearer from harm. Soldiers often carried garnets to guard them against injury and death.

• Garnets were thought to be talismans of war and many Crusaders carried red garnets. Even today, in the Middle East and Asia, fighting men carry a talisman of red garnet into battle.

• In 1892, Indian nationalists ambushed and fired on British troops. Hanza tribesmen along the borders of Kashmir fired ball-shaped garnets which caused serious and often fatal wounds to the "Red Coats."

• Garnets were on Noah's Ark. A large carbuncle was thought to have illuminated the ship by both day and night.

• Burmese kings were often called "Lord of the Rubies," because whenever a large gem was discovered, a processional with fanfare, was practiced as they took the ruby to the king.

• Rubies are highly prized by Hindus and were called Brahmin.

• Carnelian was engraved to make intaglio seals used by kings and merchants to authenticate their documents, since it separates easily from wax.

• The ancient Egyptians called the Carnelian "the blood of Isis" (the Egyptian goddess of nature). Carnelian was placed at the throat of a corpse during embalming. It was though to instill Isis' protection on their journey through the underworld. The carnelian was carved as a hand, a fist, an eye, a lion, a bee, a jackal's head, a frog, and most often as a bull's head.

• A powder of Carnelian was though to stop wounds from bleeding.

• Cat's Eye Alexandrite, is a rare and valuable form of Chrysoberyl that turns green in daylight, and raspberry under artificial light.

• Alexandrite was first discovered in the Ural Mountains, on the birthday of Tsar Alexander II - thus it's name.

• Topaz (chrysolithos) gives off a milky fluid, which was used as an antidote for rabies.

• When Christ was crucified, his blood was said to have splashed on some dark green jasper lying at the foot of the cross and thus the bloodstone variety jasper was developed.

• During the Middle Ages, sculptors carved the head of Christ in bloodstone so that the red flecks represented the flow of blood from his crown of thorns.

• Diamonds were also used as a poison. The stones were ground into powder and put into the enemy's food and drink. Many prominent people's deaths were attributed to diamond poisoning.

• The Heliotrope (sunflower) was made into a juice, and a bloodstone was used by the Borgia family who thought it made them invisible. This was thought to be true in the early Colonies of Massachusetts as well.

• Emeralds were mined in ancient Egypt, near the Red Sea since 2000 B.C.

• The Book of the Dead says that the Egyptians received the gift of emeralds from the great god Thoth. Emeralds, like Carnelian, were placed on the throats of mummies.

• Eastern physicians thought the emerald could: cure epilepsy, remove both mental and body pain, stop vomiting, purge the blood, act as an antidote to poison and bites from wasps, bees, and scorpions; helped diabetes, was a remedy for jaundice, and treat leprosy when ground finely and applied as a poultice.

• Emerald talisman were thought to exorcise demons.

• Imperial Chinese jadeite was originally reserved for the Imperial Majesty of China and its emperors and empresses.

• Nephrite Jade is found in New Zealand, Turkeston, and Central America (it was carved by the Aztecs, Toltecs, and Olmecs).

• In 500 A.D., Chinese doctors used finely powdered jade in fruit juice for the relief of heartburn, asthma, and diabetes.

• Malachite was mined in ancient Egypt and Israel. Today it is mined in Australia, Chile, Zimbabwe, Zaire, South Africa, and the United States of America.

• Malachite was supposed to ward off the evil-eye.

• During cholera plagues in ancient Egypt, slaves that mined malachite were usually unaffected, since malachite is a basic copper carbonate. Copper helps rheumatism, asthma, and colic.

• The ancient Egyptians carved scarabs out of serpentine.

• Lapis Lazuli was venerated by the ancient Egyptians, and was used for religious carvings.

• Amethystos meant "non intoxicating" in Greek.

• Sailors wore amethyst to protect them and take them to safe harbor.

• The Holy Roman Emperors wore crowns set with opals, which were thought to protect them and their families.

• In 1477, Maximilian, Archduke of Austria gave Mary of Burgundy the first known diamond engagement ring.

• Diamond polishing was invented in India.

• Elizabeth I used pearls to adore most of her dresses and they were used profusely.

• Henry VII, Henry the VIII's father, had a collection of 234 jeweled rings.

• The Largest deposits of Amber in the world, and those exploited the longest, come from the shores of the Baltic Sea, in northern Europe.

• North America Amber comes from Chiapas, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic. American amber is rarely obscured by a milky substance.

• Mexican amber if found mainly near Simojovel, in the southern state of Chiapas.

• Amber from the Los Cacaos mine in the Dominican Republic is the bluest of any know amber, thus far.

• In times gone by, a red or yellow diamond was reserved for wear by the king only.

• Six-cornered diamonds are thought to bring good luck.

• Five-cornered diamonds were thought to bring death.

• The sacred character of the diamond wears off after twelve years.

• Jewish beliefs: "Declaration" was a holy diamond with some negative aspects. St. Epiphanius, Bishop of Constantia, told of this diamond being worn by High Priests at Pascha, Pentecost and Tabernacles.
  If people erred in their worship or private lives, the stone was reputed to turn murky. This murky change was a predictor of pestilence and death.
  If the stone turned red, they would die by the sword.
  If the diamond was bright and clear, the Jewish people of Israel knew they were free from sin and could celebrate each festival without fear.

  Christians believed:

  The ruby stood for the blood of Christ.

  The emerald denoted peace and happiness given by God.

  The diamond was symbolic of fidelity to Christ and God. Thus the popularity of wedding rings made of daimonds.

  The Buddhabhatta said that wearing diamonds would protect the wearer from snakes, fire, poison, sickness, thievery, water, and enchantment.

  Assigning a gem stone to a month, as a "birthstone" goes back to Josephus and St. Jerome (6th century).

  In the 18th century, in Poland, Marie Leczinska, Polish queen of Louis XV, popularized the wearing of bithstones at Versailles, France. April's buirthstone was a diamond from then on. Whereas Sapphire was April's birthstone first.

  After Pompey's final defeat of Mithrates VI, diamonds were brought back to Rome and they were highly prized.

  Romans had a passion for rings and some wore six on each finger.

  Spain's "Treasure of Guarrazar" included eleven pure gold crowns dating from the seventh century. These crowns were adorned with Oriental pearls, emeralds, and sapphires in cabochon.

  Khosrau II, King of Persia, (in the 7th c.) had a crown of pure gold covered with pearls the size of sparrow's eggs. It also had inlaid grenadine rubies and emeralds. It hung from the ceiling, over the king's head, where sat his throne. It touched his head without weighting him down.

  King Edwy, of the British Isles, reigned from 955-957. His crown was wrought with gold, silver, and precious stones.

  England's jewel were guarded in Westminster Abbey.

  France's jewels were housed at the Abbey of St. Denis.

  In India, the "Lord of Stones" was the ruby.

  In 1283, England passed a law stating that only those of noble birth could wear jewels.

  By 1363, Edward III, King of England, forbade even knights to wear precious stones.

  Coral rosary's were said to be for the clergy.

  Many diamonds of the Mogul and Persian Empires seemed to carry curses to each new owner.

  One such diamond was called "Moon of the Mountain." This gem was last seen amoung Russian crown jewels and then it disappeared in the 19th century. Catherine the Great was the first Russian ruler to possess the diamond. When it disappeared this diamond was thought to have carried its curse to its new owner.

  The first recorded owner of the "Moon of the Mountain" was Nadir Shah, the Turkoman ruler of Persia (in 1739). Nadir Shah left a pyramid of skulls in his wake. His soldier's raped and pillaged each village they conquered. The "Moon of the Mountain" had its sister diamond called :Sun of the Sea." These stones traveled from Persia to Basra to the Tigris and Baghdad.

  The "Eye of Allah" was the Persian's name for a magnificent sapphire.

  In many European countries amber is worn as protection against witches and warlocks, and even ill-luck.

SOURCES:

Grimaldi, David A. Amber Window to the Past New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 1996.

Kendall, Leo P. Diamonds, Famous and Fatal. Fort Lee, N.J.: Barricade Books, 2001.

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