Amethyst Birthstone for February and Picses

A luxurious, rich purple, amethyst is a beautiful and highly prized gemstone with deep roots in ancient cultures, spirituality and mythology. Many cultures believed amethyst to possess special powers, such as affording protection to crops, warding off evil spirits and inspiring the intellect. Worn by the Egyptians and representing heavenly understanding, amethyst is also associated with the star signs Pisces, Aries, Aquarius and Sagittarius. The Greek myths claim that amethyst got its deep purple colour from tears of wine cried by the drunken god Dionysus over a white quartz statue – a beautiful young woman whom the goddess Diana had turned to stone in order to protect her from Dionysus’s unwanted advances. Amethyst is the purple variety of crystal quartz, with the colouring coming from a combination of iron and aluminium in the stone’s chemical make up. The 30th wedding anniversary is sometimes also associated with amethyst.