Gems Behind Myths
The Gems Behind Myths
"Hoc viridi lucernam, plena fortuna benedicam et mea locket ligare ut. Ita mote sit," the Roman Sentinel exclaimed while casting his spell for good fortune upon his emerald amulet. The phrase roughly translates to, “This green light for full bless and good luck to tie my locket . So might it be.” Gems used for magic, sorcery, and witchcraft, as used in the Arcane Arts, can be seen throughout history. Magic is considered to be an important part of mythology. Gems have much to do in the magical part of mythology; talismans, the Philosopher's Stone, and even precious gemstones play an important part in historical myths worldwide and gemstones are still important today. Throughout mythology, gemstone talismans and amulets were the most commonly known magical use for gemstones. Talismans were usually a piece of jewelry of some sort, that a sorcerer had given magical properties. During the Medieval and Renaissance ages in Europe talismans were used to ward off evil, bring good fortune, give one knowledge, as well as other powers in a supernatural sense. Some of the talismans gave the wearer the ability to talk to animals. …show more content…
Another ability that talismans gave their holders was to summon and control demons. Interestingly enough, “all races have traditional amulets” (Cavendish, 2550 ). Like in Egypt their traditional amulet is the ankh, which was their symbol of life. There was also the Eye of Raw or the Eye of Horus. Horus was the Egyptian god of knowledge, and this talisman was known as The Seeing Eye. In Africa, voodoo charms were made by witch doctors to give the wearer good juju or long life. Voodoo amulets were usually skulls, shrunken heads, or dolls; all of which Europeans and Americans saw as death and corruption. Coincidentally, a voodoo amulet had the same purpose as a European talisman. The Native Americans had talismans in the shape of animals, and each animal represented a different aspect or trait that the talisman enhanced. Talismans and amulets had other positive uses other than revoking evil and bringing good luck. “Another common use of talismans and amulets down the ages has been for the purpose of healing” (Cavendish, 2551). Priests, for example, would wear crosses to purify their souls, which was thought to cure illnesses caused by corruption and possession. Most cultures around the world had the idea that if one embowed a gemstone with a large amount of mana, the trinket could do powerful things, including curing illness, giving wealth, protecting one from evil, summoning demons, and controlling animals to one’s will. The concept of mana in Aztec legend is the more important a person is in society, the more mana that person possesses. Mana can be interpreted, then, as the amount of importance one’s role has in his or her community. In Africa however, the people who were the most connected to the spirits had more mana than a normal man, making that person more important. Yet in Celtic lore people who have the ability to control the life force, or mana, had the most important roles. However talismans do not have to be made of gold, silver and jewels, they can be as simple as a lucky penny. “Many people carry, wear, or own a talisman, but are totally unaware of the fact” (“What”). It can be Gramma’s old bracelet, a lucky thermos or even a rubberband of good fortune. In the end the talismans with the most power are shrouded in myths and legends.
The philosopher's Stone is the mythical gem that alchemists have tried to create for centuries. The power of this stone is said to be unlimited. It can transform lead and iron into gold and even create life. “This is the stone which ennobles metals and as an elixir can cure all illnesses” (Cavendish, 2027). The stone is said to be in liquid form until the last ingredient is added. In some lore the last ingredient of the philosopher's stone is human life. Other lores say that you need to harden the liquid in philosopher's fire, or a golden flame. There have been people throughout history that have said to have seen a philosopher's stone. “… Stone as a heavy powder of saffron hue, which sparkles like glass that has not been completely pulverized” (Cavendish, 2028). This description fits a number of other gems world wide in other myths, like the Thunder Stone in Aztec myths or the Red Coral in Japan. Worldwide there has been no record of the stone existing anywhere. In all the regions that a philosopher's stone like item has been recorded it has the same properties. “The discovery of the Philosopher's stone was known as the Great Work” (“Philosopher's”). To discover the Philosopher's stone would be like digging straight to China from the U.S. because nowhere in the continental United States, Alaska or Hawaii can one dig straight to China. Just the same no matter how exact one follows the steps or how many alternate routes one takes it is only legend. None the less there are seven steps to creating the Stone, which are inscribed on The Emerald Tablet of Hermes. The translation from the Emerald Tablet says the seven steps are:
Tis true without lying, certain & most true. That wch is below is like that wch is above & that wch is above is like yt wch is below to do ye miracles of one only thing. And as all things have been & arose from one by ye mediation of one: so all things have their birth from this one thing by adaptation. The Sun is its father, the moon its mother, the wind hath carried it in its belly, the earth its nourse. The father of all perfection in ye whole world is here.Its force or power is entire if it be converted into earth. Seperate thou ye earth from ye fire, ye subtile from the gross sweetly wth great indoustry. It ascends from ye earth to ye heaven & again it desends to ye earth and receives ye force of things superior & inferior. By this means you shall have ye glory of ye whole world & thereby all obscurity shall fly from you. Its force is above all force. for it vanquishes every subtile thing & penetrates every solid thing. So was ye world created.From this are & do come admirable adaptaions whereof ye means (Or process) is here in this. Hence I am called Hermes Trismegist, having the three parts of ye philosophy of ye whole world. That wch I have said of ye operation of ye Sun is accomplished & ended (“Alchemy”).
The Emerald Tablet’s is written in alchemical code, therefore all the terms like “That wch I have said of ye operation of ye Sun is accomplished & ended” (“Alchemy”). In alchemical code the “Sun” is a common reference to the alchemist”s flame, which is made of sulfur, gold, and a plethora of other ingredients. That is the last step, putting it in alchemist's fire, to create the Philosopher's Stone. Weather it has been made or not, society can only speculate. Either way this stone is the most powerful gem in the mythical world. There are hundreds of precious gems and gemstones and a fair majority have lore behind them. Take sapphires for example, they are gems that are said to revoke poisons. Thus “It became a favorite for the practices of necromancers who used it to understand even obscure oracles” (“Myth … Sapphires”). The necromancers looked through the sapphire to read the oracles or books of the dead. For the longest time opals were a sign of hope, but then one man changed that.
“Sir Walter Scott’s bestselling novel, Anne of Geierstein, was written in 1829, it is the story of Lady Hermione, who is falsely accused of being a demoness, and dies shortly after a drop of holy water accidentally falls on her opal and destroys its color. The public took this to mean that this genius author was warning of the bad luck an opal can bring… ” (“Opal”).
The opal market in Europe was ruined for several years after the book was published.
The book resulted in a piece of mythology being created in the 19th century. It took nearly fifty years for the opal market to make a comeback. Every month, season, and type of weather are assigned a gem. For example “Egyptians tied amethyst to the Zodiac sign of Capricorn, the goat that tore apart vineyards and therefore was the enemy of drunkenness” (“Myth … Amethyst). But in other parts of the world amethyst will have a completely different myth surrounding it. “The ancient Romans and Greeks had a lot of powerful beliefs about diamonds, including ideas that diamonds were the tears of the gods or possibly even splinters that had broken off of falling stars” (History). As one can see even the precious gems have a lore for one to
find. Even today gemstones are still important do to their metaphysical properties. Just like in the olden days, people today believe that gemstones can do amazing things. Take emeralds, for example: “the emerald enhances psychic abilities, opens clairvoyance, and stimulates the use of greater mental capacity. It helps bring awareness of the unknown to conscious recognition, imparting reason and wisdom” (Gemstone). Emerald is a stone that is tied to the earth, the element of earth is said to be the element of strength. Thus it would give holder greater physical abilities. The element of earth is also said to be the calmest, which would explain the mental properties of the stone, because when one is calm the mind can expand. Another gemstone that can help ones mind is the ruby. “Ruby encourages passion and a zest for life. It improves motivation and setting of realistic goals. Balances the heart and instills confidence. Ruby encourages joy, spontaneity, laughter and courage” (Gemstone). The ruby coincides with the element of fire, and is said to be the most courageous and strong hearted. People the fire element is strong with, seem to have a fire in them, and the ruby is said to give the holder this fire. From modern thoughts about gemstones to myths about precious gems, the all-powerful gem, the Philosopher's Stone, and talismans all had their part in mythology worldwide. Talismans have given power to people through mythology and people even have talismans today. They may be simple things but they may still have power. Though, never as much power as the almighty Philosopher's Stone. It may or may not have been made, but it is undeniably the most powerful gem in mythology. From sapphires and opals to amethysts, the precious gems hold a lore to them. even to this day people say gems have metaphysical properties. Weather or not all of this is fact or fantasy is all in the eye of the beholder.
"Hoc viridi lucernam, plena fortuna benedicam et mea locket ligare ut. Ita mote sit," the Roman Sentinel exclaimed while casting his spell for good fortune upon his emerald amulet. The phrase roughly translates to, “This green light for full bless and good luck to tie my locket . So might it be.” Gems used for magic, sorcery, and witchcraft, as used in the Arcane Arts, can be seen throughout history. Magic is considered to be an important part of mythology. Gems have much to do in the magical part of mythology; talismans, the Philosopher's Stone, and even precious gemstones play an important part in historical myths worldwide and gemstones are still important today. Throughout mythology, gemstone talismans and amulets were the most commonly known magical use for gemstones. Talismans were usually a piece of jewelry of some sort, that a sorcerer had given magical properties. During the Medieval and Renaissance ages in Europe talismans were used to ward off evil, bring good fortune, give one knowledge, as well as other powers in a supernatural sense. Some of the talismans gave the wearer the ability to talk to animals. …show more content…
Another ability that talismans gave their holders was to summon and control demons. Interestingly enough, “all races have traditional amulets” (Cavendish, 2550 ). Like in Egypt their traditional amulet is the ankh, which was their symbol of life. There was also the Eye of Raw or the Eye of Horus. Horus was the Egyptian god of knowledge, and this talisman was known as The Seeing Eye. In Africa, voodoo charms were made by witch doctors to give the wearer good juju or long life. Voodoo amulets were usually skulls, shrunken heads, or dolls; all of which Europeans and Americans saw as death and corruption. Coincidentally, a voodoo amulet had the same purpose as a European talisman. The Native Americans had talismans in the shape of animals, and each animal represented a different aspect or trait that the talisman enhanced. Talismans and amulets had other positive uses other than revoking evil and bringing good luck. “Another common use of talismans and amulets down the ages has been for the purpose of healing” (Cavendish, 2551). Priests, for example, would wear crosses to purify their souls, which was thought to cure illnesses caused by corruption and possession. Most cultures around the world had the idea that if one embowed a gemstone with a large amount of mana, the trinket could do powerful things, including curing illness, giving wealth, protecting one from evil, summoning demons, and controlling animals to one’s will. The concept of mana in Aztec legend is the more important a person is in society, the more mana that person possesses. Mana can be interpreted, then, as the amount of importance one’s role has in his or her community. In Africa however, the people who were the most connected to the spirits had more mana than a normal man, making that person more important. Yet in Celtic lore people who have the ability to control the life force, or mana, had the most important roles. However talismans do not have to be made of gold, silver and jewels, they can be as simple as a lucky penny. “Many people carry, wear, or own a talisman, but are totally unaware of the fact” (“What”). It can be Gramma’s old bracelet, a lucky thermos or even a rubberband of good fortune. In the end the talismans with the most power are shrouded in myths and legends.
The philosopher's Stone is the mythical gem that alchemists have tried to create for centuries. The power of this stone is said to be unlimited. It can transform lead and iron into gold and even create life. “This is the stone which ennobles metals and as an elixir can cure all illnesses” (Cavendish, 2027). The stone is said to be in liquid form until the last ingredient is added. In some lore the last ingredient of the philosopher's stone is human life. Other lores say that you need to harden the liquid in philosopher's fire, or a golden flame. There have been people throughout history that have said to have seen a philosopher's stone. “… Stone as a heavy powder of saffron hue, which sparkles like glass that has not been completely pulverized” (Cavendish, 2028). This description fits a number of other gems world wide in other myths, like the Thunder Stone in Aztec myths or the Red Coral in Japan. Worldwide there has been no record of the stone existing anywhere. In all the regions that a philosopher's stone like item has been recorded it has the same properties. “The discovery of the Philosopher's stone was known as the Great Work” (“Philosopher's”). To discover the Philosopher's stone would be like digging straight to China from the U.S. because nowhere in the continental United States, Alaska or Hawaii can one dig straight to China. Just the same no matter how exact one follows the steps or how many alternate routes one takes it is only legend. None the less there are seven steps to creating the Stone, which are inscribed on The Emerald Tablet of Hermes. The translation from the Emerald Tablet says the seven steps are:
Tis true without lying, certain & most true. That wch is below is like that wch is above & that wch is above is like yt wch is below to do ye miracles of one only thing. And as all things have been & arose from one by ye mediation of one: so all things have their birth from this one thing by adaptation. The Sun is its father, the moon its mother, the wind hath carried it in its belly, the earth its nourse. The father of all perfection in ye whole world is here.Its force or power is entire if it be converted into earth. Seperate thou ye earth from ye fire, ye subtile from the gross sweetly wth great indoustry. It ascends from ye earth to ye heaven & again it desends to ye earth and receives ye force of things superior & inferior. By this means you shall have ye glory of ye whole world & thereby all obscurity shall fly from you. Its force is above all force. for it vanquishes every subtile thing & penetrates every solid thing. So was ye world created.From this are & do come admirable adaptaions whereof ye means (Or process) is here in this. Hence I am called Hermes Trismegist, having the three parts of ye philosophy of ye whole world. That wch I have said of ye operation of ye Sun is accomplished & ended (“Alchemy”).
The Emerald Tablet’s is written in alchemical code, therefore all the terms like “That wch I have said of ye operation of ye Sun is accomplished & ended” (“Alchemy”). In alchemical code the “Sun” is a common reference to the alchemist”s flame, which is made of sulfur, gold, and a plethora of other ingredients. That is the last step, putting it in alchemist's fire, to create the Philosopher's Stone. Weather it has been made or not, society can only speculate. Either way this stone is the most powerful gem in the mythical world. There are hundreds of precious gems and gemstones and a fair majority have lore behind them. Take sapphires for example, they are gems that are said to revoke poisons. Thus “It became a favorite for the practices of necromancers who used it to understand even obscure oracles” (“Myth … Sapphires”). The necromancers looked through the sapphire to read the oracles or books of the dead. For the longest time opals were a sign of hope, but then one man changed that.
“Sir Walter Scott’s bestselling novel, Anne of Geierstein, was written in 1829, it is the story of Lady Hermione, who is falsely accused of being a demoness, and dies shortly after a drop of holy water accidentally falls on her opal and destroys its color. The public took this to mean that this genius author was warning of the bad luck an opal can bring… ” (“Opal”).
The opal market in Europe was ruined for several years after the book was published.
The book resulted in a piece of mythology being created in the 19th century. It took nearly fifty years for the opal market to make a comeback. Every month, season, and type of weather are assigned a gem. For example “Egyptians tied amethyst to the Zodiac sign of Capricorn, the goat that tore apart vineyards and therefore was the enemy of drunkenness” (“Myth … Amethyst). But in other parts of the world amethyst will have a completely different myth surrounding it. “The ancient Romans and Greeks had a lot of powerful beliefs about diamonds, including ideas that diamonds were the tears of the gods or possibly even splinters that had broken off of falling stars” (History). As one can see even the precious gems have a lore for one to
find. Even today gemstones are still important do to their metaphysical properties. Just like in the olden days, people today believe that gemstones can do amazing things. Take emeralds, for example: “the emerald enhances psychic abilities, opens clairvoyance, and stimulates the use of greater mental capacity. It helps bring awareness of the unknown to conscious recognition, imparting reason and wisdom” (Gemstone). Emerald is a stone that is tied to the earth, the element of earth is said to be the element of strength. Thus it would give holder greater physical abilities. The element of earth is also said to be the calmest, which would explain the mental properties of the stone, because when one is calm the mind can expand. Another gemstone that can help ones mind is the ruby. “Ruby encourages passion and a zest for life. It improves motivation and setting of realistic goals. Balances the heart and instills confidence. Ruby encourages joy, spontaneity, laughter and courage” (Gemstone). The ruby coincides with the element of fire, and is said to be the most courageous and strong hearted. People the fire element is strong with, seem to have a fire in them, and the ruby is said to give the holder this fire. From modern thoughts about gemstones to myths about precious gems, the all-powerful gem, the Philosopher's Stone, and talismans all had their part in mythology worldwide. Talismans have given power to people through mythology and people even have talismans today. They may be simple things but they may still have power. Though, never as much power as the almighty Philosopher's Stone. It may or may not have been made, but it is undeniably the most powerful gem in mythology. From sapphires and opals to amethysts, the precious gems hold a lore to them. even to this day people say gems have metaphysical properties. Weather or not all of this is fact or fantasy is all in the eye of the beholder.