This purple stone celebrates level-headed sobriety as it comes
from the Greek word “amethystos” meaning “not drunken.” Ancient
banquets frequently served wine in Amethyst goblets to promote
soberness in guests through the long hours of feasting. The
legend behind the name stems from Dionysus, the Greek god of
intoxication. One day he was very angry and cursed the first
person to cross him, which happened to be Amethyst, a young
maiden on her way to pay tribute to the goddess Diana. Amethyst
prayed to Diana for protection as Dionysus released tigers on
the maiden and in return, Diana turned Amethyst into a statue of
pure crystalline quartz. Dionysus immediately wept tears of wine
in remorse which stained the quartz purple and thus creating the
gem we know today. Amethyst is also representative of piety and
celibacy; bishop’s rings have been set with amethyst since the
Middle Ages. Leonardo da Vinci believed that amethyst could
prevent evil thoughts while sharpening intelligence. Tibetan
Buddhists often use ame