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 olden times, beryl had many different curative and preventative properties. Beryl was used to treat swollen glands, relieve infected eyes, and was given to people suffering from hiccup attacks. Beryl was used for eye injuries of all kinds, including the most serious.

Coral - Coral was believed to have several curative powers. Coral was often mixed with other gems or objects believed to have curative powers. Coral was a main ingredient in all kinds of remedies. Coral was also 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 diamonds were known as the cure all. It was once thought that diamond could cure any disease, ache or pain. Diamond powder was even used to whiten teeth.

On The Virtues of 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 thunderbolts, 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 bloodstone 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.

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