A brief history of powerful gemstone amulets | V&A
Victoria and Albert Museum・9 minutes read
Various precious stones and crystals have been used historically for protection, healing, and devotional purposes, with specific gemstones believed to hold therapeutic and protective properties. Jewelry, amulets, and containers made of rocks like rock crystal and adorned with stones such as turquoise were worn for their symbolic and spiritual significance, reflecting a long tradition of using gemstones and crystals for faith and well-being.
Insights
- Rock crystal was not only used for decorative purposes but also believed to have healing properties, particularly in treating eye problems, showcasing the dual role of gemstones in both aesthetics and medicine.
- Various cultures across history utilized specific gemstones and crystals in jewelry and artifacts not only for their protective qualities but also for their symbolic and devotional significance, highlighting the deep-rooted spiritual connections associated with these materials.
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Recent questions
What are gemstones historically used for?
Devotion and decoration.
What was the purpose of a rock crystal amulet container?
Protection and healing.
Why was rock crystal closely associated with healing?
Treat eye problems and healing properties.
What significance did rock crystal have in jewelry?
Protective powers and faith.
What were lapidaries and what did they work with?
Books listing power of stones, lapidarists worked with garnet, rubies, and diamonds.
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Summary
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Historical use of gemstones for protection and healing.
- Precious stones, semi-precious stones, gemstones, and crystals have been historically used for devotion and decoration.
- A rock crystal amulet container, made of two pieces of rock crystal, was used for protection and healing purposes.
- Rock crystal was believed to treat eye problems and was closely associated with healing during the period it was made.
- Jewellery, like a rock crystal reliquary cross, was worn for protective powers and faith, with rock crystal having devotional significance.
- Lapidaries, books listing the power of stones, were popular, with lapidarists working with stones like garnet, rubies, and diamonds.
- Jewellery, like a pendant made in England between 1540 and 1560, incorporated specific gemstones for their protective and therapeutic properties.
- A 19th-century amulet case from Tibet, inlaid with turquoise stones, was worn by high-ranking officials for protection and status.
- A carved mythical beast made from nephrite jade during the Ming Dynasty in China symbolized good luck and prosperity.
