Stone Folklore

There are many stories, superstitions, charms, and other forms of folklore about precious and semi-precious stones. Here we've collected a few of them for your entertainment. First we list folkore associated with stones. Below that, we've added a table categorized by types of charms, and the stones used in them.

Gardening charm: Tie an agate (especially a moss agate) to a plow or a hoe before cultivating the garden. This is an old European charm for a bountiful harvest.

An agate dropped in a pot of hot water was supposed to cool it faster.

Agates were said to reveal where buried treasure was hidden.

An amber bead worn on a string around the neck was an old charm against black magic and the evil eye.

The Romans believed that if an amethyst were placed in a cup of wine, the drinker would not get drunk. Drinking cups were often decorated with amethysts for this same reason.

An old belief from Islamic nations was that carnelian could help keep a person preserve gravity in an argument or when all around are laughing. Splinters of carnelian were used as toothpicks and to whiten teeth.

Coral was once scattered on fields to bring good harvests. Perhaps the calcium improved the soil?

Diamonds are the most popular stone for wedding rings due to an old belief that diamonds were a charm ensuring fidelity, as well as a symbol of purity.

Diamond dust was once believed to be a deadly poison. Poisoners in the 19th century and before were known to mix diamond dust with arsenic, believing diamond dust to be the deadlier of the two. Horace Walpole used the phrase "mortal as diamond dust" in one of his letters.

In the Middle Ages, it was believed that an emerald made into a ring could detect poison and would warn its wearer. Emeralds were also believed to be poison antidotes.

Garnets were believed to change color when danger approached. They were also thought to be antidotes for fever and inflammation.

A charm against being "elf-shot" (an old Medieval term for any illness that could not be explained), was to dissolve myrrh and frankincense in wine and add powdered jet. This was drunk upon rising for several mornings in a row, usually some significant number of mornings such as three, four, seven, nine, or twelve.

A proper gift to Ishtar, the Babylonian goddess, was a piece of lapis lazuli carved into the shape of the female sex parts.

Opals have long been considered a good luck stone by Australian natives. Ancient Romans, too, regarded the fiery stone as a bringer of good luck, while the Greeks believed the stone could assist foresight and prophesy. Opal's reputation as a bad luck stone owes largely to a series of three novels by Sir Walter Scott, Anne of Geierstein (1829). The heroine underwent a series of misfortunes, which readers assumed (not having read the third and final novel) were caused by an opal that she wore that seemed to discolor when touched by holy water, after which the heroine died. However, a careful reading reveals that the opal's change in color was due to poison, and it was in fact a warning. Nevertheless, the sensation that the first two novels caused resulted in an enormous plunge in opal prices, and a bad reputation for opals for many decades afterwards. (Buy Anne of Geierstein at Amazon.com)

To cure oneself of bad habits, it was once thought that speaking to a quartz crystal would make the habit disappear. To tell the crystal frequently, "I master my emotions," or "I work hard all day long," was believed to make these things come true. Modern psychology tells us that writing our goals daily in the positive and present tense ("I weigh 130 pounds" rather than "I will lose 10 pounds") trains our subconscious mind to make the statements true. No doubt saying the goals aloud has a similar effect.

An old folk belief about quartz is that a quartz crystal or pebble held to the forehead can draw away a headache.

People once believed that rubies could make water boil.

Probably because of its blue color, turquoise is supposed to be a lucky charm for brides.

An old money charm: Hold a piece of turquoise in your left hand and gaze at the full moon, thinking of wealth. Keep the turquoise with you until the money arrives.

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Recommended Books

Stone Power!
Fun and interesting! This book relates lots of stone folklore and tradtional uses, and gives advice on how to wear gemstones.

The Curious Folklore of Precious Stones
This inexpensive Dover reprint of a 1913 classic takes the reader around the world to explore tales, mystery, and magic associated with gemstones.

The Magic of Jewels and Charms
Another treasure from Dover Books. This volume includes traditional magic and folklore associated with precious stones, jewelry, amulets, and more. An excellent reference.

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