The Amethyst is characterized by its purple colour, which can be
more or less intense. By the third millennium BC, in Egypt and
Asia Minor, it was considered as one of the most important
stones in the array of jewels and other precious objects. The
Ancient Greeks believed that the Amethyst had important curative
powers against alcoholism. From that characteristic may have
originated its name, which, in ancient Greek, means ‘not drunk’.
The Roman naturalist Plinio, on the other hand, considered that
the name comes from its colour, similar to that of some red
wines. However, the most important meaning for the Amethyst
comes from its religious and sacred ambit. In the Bible, it is
one of the 12 stones which represent the 12 tribes of Israel.
From the Middle Ages (and still today) it was considered the
gemstone of Cardinals and Bishops, meaning peace, humbleness and
chastity.Characteristics The Amethyst is a violet-purple variety
of quartz. It is composed of silicon dioxide and crystallizes in
triangular form. Th