Peridot History & Lore
Peridot has been mined as a gemstone for thousands of
years and is mentioned in the bible under Chrysolite, which was one of the
stones of the twelve tribes that were imbedded in the breastplate of Aaron.
It is also said that this beautiful olive - green stone
was one of the favorite gemstones of Cleopatra and that some of the so-called
emeralds worn by her were actually Peridot.
Maybe Cleopatra wore this stone because it was believed
that Peridot would dissolve enchantments when set in gold.
If someone wanted to use the stone for protection from
evil it had to be pierced and stung through the hair of a donkey, then worn on
the left arm. I doubt if Cleopatra ever wore it in this form.
Peridot unlike many gemstones is not formed in the earths
crust. It is formed deeper in the Earth, in the magna in the upper mantel,
about 20 to 55 miles deep. It finds it's way to the surface through tectonic or
volcanic activity. It was first mined in the Topazos Islands, now known as
Zabargad or St. John's Island. Peridot has been mined from this island for over
3,500 years. This Island's exact location was lost for several years and was
only rediscovered in 1905. The tiny island,
often shrouded in fog, is located about 35 miles off the Egyptian coastal port
of Berenica.
No comments:
Post a Comment