Healing and Magical Uses of Gemstones

Agate

Agates primary medical use was for remedies of the eye. Agate was also used to treat spider and scorpion bites. Agate had to be crushed into powder and rubbed over wounds or bites, or it had to be ingested. Agate was also used to treat headaches and fevers.

Beryl

In older times beryl had a lot of different curative, and preventative properties. Beryl was used to treat swollen glands, relieve infected eyes, and was given to people suffering from hiccough attacks. Beryl was used for eyeball injuries of all kinds, including the most serious.

Coral

Coral was believed to have several curative powers. Coral usually had to be mixed with other gems or objects to have curative powers. Coral was a main ingredient in all kinds of remedies. Coral was a popular type of diuretic for quite some time.

The Diamond

Hindu physicians believed that the diamond had six different flavors including sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and acrid. The diamond was known as the cure all. It was believed to be able to cure any disease, ache or pain. Diamond powder was even used to whiten teeth.

On The Virtues if Fabulous Stones, Concretions and Fossils

Fossils and animal concretions were often worn as amulets and talismans. Fossilized sharks teeth were a favorite item in older times. Arrowheads and other like fossils were believed to be thunder bolts, and sometimes fairly darts and elf shots. Shell fossils were also a very poplar talisman. No fossils were more prized than the so called tongue stones. Tongue stones were actually fossilized or petrified teeth of sharks. Petrified sharks teeth were believed to be meteorites which fell form the sky when the moon was waning. Some believed that fossilized sharks teeth were actually petrified snake tongues.

On The Religious Use of Various Stones

There have been instances of various stones used in religion. It has been seen in the Old Testament, and in many other religious books. Stones used in religion were usually worn as amulets. In older times religious leaders wore special breast plates incrusted in jewels, which signified their importance. Different stones often times had different meanings in religion. The blood stone was often thought to symbolize the blood of Christ. The throne of god is said to have the appearance of a sapphire stone. Almost every religion has solid gold statues of their different important religious figures. There are golden gods, Jesus, Buddha, and many other important idols. In the most ancient if times, turquoise was the most sought after stone for religious purposes.

Amulets: Ancient, Medieval, and Oriental

The Egyptians were strong believers in making amulets. Most Egyptian amulets were crafted from turquoise. There have been tons of Egyptian amulets unearthed, and placed in museums around the world. Often times Egyptian amulets depicted animals. Amulets were often times placed in the tombs of mummies, as well as worn by people. Some talismans were supposed to afford protection to not only an individual, but to a whole city.

Fragments from the human skull were also worn as amulets in ancient days. When a child was an infant certain pieces of the skull was removed. This procedure was executed because they thought that it was a cure for epilepsy. If the child survived the surgery, it was believed that the evil spirit dwelling within was vanquished.