How Did Amethyst Get its Name, What Does Amethyst Mean in Greek, and Where Did the Gemstone Come From?

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Karen Hill

An amethyst is a pale blue to dark purple crystallized quartz and is a precious stone found in modern-day Iran, Iraq, Brazil, India, and some parts of Europe.

It was worn on the breastplates of high priests because the ancients believed that wearing or even touching an amethyst kept people from getting intoxicated no matter how much they drank.

In Greek the word amethyst literally means “not intoxicating.”

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