Gemstone Folklore

[kristin]

Ametrine, nature?s blend of amethyst and citrine, is a stunning combination that flatters all skin tones and complements wardrobes of all seasons. The color purple reprensts spirituality, passion, mysticism, and faith. The yellow signifies mental and spiritual enlightenment, vitality and hope. Together, this blended stone presents the wearer with a gem that is symbolic of spirituality, steadfast loyalty and a zest for life.

Bloodstone may be used as a birthstone for the month of March. Early Christian legends say that the bloodstone?s red spots were from Jesus? blood that fell on a piece of jasper at the foot of the cross. It was also thought to foretell the future and dye water red, which lead to the notion that bloodstone turned the sun blood red and caused violent storms. Bloodstone was also believed to magically smooth discord, and relieve tumors; and was used to help one become more knowledgeable about the world.

Chalcedony is named for the ancient seaport of Chalcedon. In the third or fourth century AD, Greek seafarers wore chalcedony to avoid drowning. It was once believed that someone seeing nocturnal phantoms took in disease through their eyes, but the ?alkaline? content of chalcedony could remove it. The Bghai tribe in Burma believed that both good and bad spirits lived in their chalcedony fetishes.

Chrysoprase was once used for spiritual protection and was said to be a ?victory stone?. In the 1800?s, it was believed to help thieves escape execution by becoming invisible if a chrysoprase was held in their mouth. Crysoprase is a natural green color gemstone from Queensland, Australia; therefore it is often referred to as Australian Jade.

Carnelian, in the eighteenth century was proclaimed by the Muslim leader Ja?afar ibn Muhammad to guarantee the granting of all desires to the wearer. This belief made this stone a popular talisman among Muslims. In the 1700?s, carnelian was said to help those who needed courage to speak. This gemstone is used for clear thinking and to balance creativity and mental processing.

Coral is thought to protect against magic spells, to cure madness and to give wisdom. In many countries coral is given to children as a gift for their protection. Ancient Romans believed a dog collar made of coral would prevent rabies. It was also believed that red coral changed color according to the wearer?s health, white at the onset of illness, and yellow with black dots as death approached.

Iolite, the name is derived from the Greek word ios, meaning ?violet?. Iolite is known as the gemstone of clear vision. It was believed to have the power to guide lost sailors to the brilliance of the sun in order to find their way home.

Moonstone can also be used as a birthstone for the month of June. According to Hindu legend, moonstone was formed from moonbeams. It was once believed of you hold one in your mouth during a full moon you can see your future. In India, moonstone is known as a sacred stone and is believed to bring good fortune. It is a highly prized gift for lovers as it arouses tender passion.


Jade was considered a prized gemstone in both Chinese and Central American cultures. In the 16th century, the Chinese believed that ingesting jade powder would prolong life and strengthen the lungs, heart and vocal chords. It has been told that handling jade can help one relax by absorbing some of its secret virtue into the body.

Lapis was considered to be an emblem of chastity that blocked the wiles of the devil and ensured the help of the angels. It was also thought to calm the wearer. Lapis was used as a tonic for melancholy and fever. It was worn by judges and sometimes put in embalmed bodies to represent the heart that was removed.

Onyx has been linked to lovers by causing discord and cooling the fires of passion. It was thought that onyx carved with mars, the god of war, gave roman soldiers courage. It was also once believed that dark onyx caused bad dreams and sad thoughts.

Smoky Quartz was often used for Victorian morning jewelry. It is named cairngorm after the mountains in Scotland where it is found to be brown and black in color. The color comes from natural radiation exposure. Smoky quartz is also found in the Swiss Alps where different altitudes produce different colors and tones.

Pearl can be used as a birthstone for the month of June. Indians used pearl adorned swords to honor tears of sorrow wrought by battle. In the 13th century, pearls were known to cure mental illness and heartbreak. Pearls were once thought to be the tears of god, and their shape represented an association between the moon and the sea. The pearl is considered to be an emblem of modesty, purity, and chastity; and symbolizes love, success, and happiness.

Tanzanite has been recognized as helping one deal with change. Tanzanite is also known to uplift the spirit and open the heart. The blue and purple hues of tanzanite are associated with generosity and friendship.

Turquoise has been associated with horses for centuries by protecting any rider who wears the stone from injury if they were to fall off. In the 17th century, turquoise was only considered effective if received as a gift. Native Americans in the southwest saw the stone to be sacred; and Tibetans today consider turquoise as a stone of good fortune, health, and protector against the ?evil eye?.

Zircon is one of the birthstones for the month of December. The word zircon was first used to describe crystals from Sri Lanka and came to us either through the French or Persian language. This gemstone is known to help one to be more at peace with oneself, and to bring out the love and admiration in all people. It was once believed that zircon provided the wearer with wisdom, honor, and riches.

Hematite means, ?Blood stone?. Soldiers once associated it with mars, the god of war, and thought it would protect them in battle. Native Americans would grind up the material and use it as war paint. Hematite was once thought to bring success in lawsuits, judgments, and petitions.

Malachite was once thought to be a powerful protector of children. Parents would attach a piece of this stone to their baby?s cradle, with hopes of driving away any evil spirits and assuring a peaceful sleep. When engraved with an image of the sun, it protected the owner from evil spirits, enchantments and snakes. Medieval Germans believed malachite protected its wearer from falling and warned of disaster approaching by breaking itself into pieces.

[Bearman]

How about some responses on why they throw rice at weddings.

[kristin]

Why is rice thrown at weddings?

Since early Roman times some grain - usually wheat - has been associated with the wedding ceremony.

The basis for the predominant theory as to why rice and other grains, such as wheat, have played a prominent role in marriage ceremonies for centuries, is that they are fraught with symbolism of fertility and of prosperity. By throwing rice at the bride and groom at a wedding, guests symbolically wish them a lifetime full of these blessings.

Historically, in certain primitive tribal cultures, the mere act of supping on rice together bound a couple in matrimony, as eating this local food together implied their living together. In other cultures, the symbolic eating of rice together preceded a shower of rice over the married couple.

Perhaps the most curious use of rice in the wedding ceremony, was its use in some cultures not to unite the happy couple, but to feed the uninvited evil spirits who always attended the ceremony. The rationale behind this practice was to ward off evil, as well-fed evil spirits would bring no harm to the blissful couple.

In early Roman times, wheat was the grain of choice for the wedding ceremony, as wheat, not rice, symbolized fertility. The virginal bride carried a sheaf of wheat in her hand throughout the ceremony, or wore a garland of wheat in her hair. Instead of the bride tossing a bouquet, as is traditionally done today, wedding guests tossed grains of wheat at her, and young, single girls clambered for the grains that bounced off of the young bride, believing that these grains could ensure them a trip down the bridal path soon thereafter.

The wheat tossing custom fell by the wayside under the reign of Queen Elizabeth I of England, when the once airborne wheat instead was baked into small cakes, which the guests then crumbled and tossed over the bride's head. Even this tradition gave way to another, in which a large wheat cake was baked, then eaten, not tossed. Wedding guests, literally left empty-handed, had no recourse but to find a suitable substitute for the costly wheat cakes. They needed something to toss at the bride to reinstate themselves as active participants in the ceremony. The natural choice was none other than cheap, clean, white rice, and the tradition then born has stuck to this day.

[kristin]

I found this on truthorfiction.com.

Throwing Rice at Weddings Causes Harm To Birds-Fiction!


Summary of Rumor:
The old tradition of throwing rice at a departing wedding couple should be avoided because birds eat the rice, it expands in their stomachs, and they are harmed by it. Some folks say the birds can even explode!


The Truth:
The consensus of the multiple organizations we checked with is that this is Fiction! It's an urban legend that some say got started, or at least propelled, when Ann Landers gave advice in her column in the mid-sixties that the rice would do bad things to birds.

The folks at Birder's magazine, Birdwatcher Digest, The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and the USA Rice Federation all agree: rice causes no harm to birds. There are varieties of birds that routinely eat rice in the wild and with no harm. As one observer put it, if rice caused birds to explode, there would be bird parts all over Asia.

Most of the wedding planning organizations say that the main reason for not using rice is because there is too much of a risk of people slipping on it and falling.