Sapphire – the September birthstone, has gained popularity among everyone, royalty, celebrity, or a commoner. But did you know that there are ancient legendary folklores and myths surrounding this divine gemstone?
Let’s dive in to know what all stories are associated with this sapphire gemstone!
The Legends of Ancient Persia
Blue Sapphires, according to ancient Persians, were actually pieces from a massive pedestal that supported the world as its reflection colored the sky blue.
The Legends of Ancient Greece
Ancient Greeks believed that Sapphire was connected with their god Apollo. Sapphires were frequently worn in Delphi’s famous oracle due to the notion that sapphires are linked to the afterlife. Sapphires were popular with witches and necromancers because of the stone’s supposed ability to tap into the ‘third eye.’
Legendary Sapphire from Church
Sapphires are mentioned numerous times in the Bible. Sapphires became connected with the clergy from the 12th century onwards. This was attributed in part to an old legend that the Ten Commandments were handed to Moses on a slab of Sapphire – but we now know that this belief most likely was related to Lapis Lazuli. Sapphires were also popular among clergy because they were connected with purity and were considered a sacred gemstones.
A Symbol of Healing
Not just a gemstone of power or luck, sapphires have long been considered healing gemstones. Sapphires were thought to be a poison antidote, but they were also used to treat eye ailments. Although the oldest written reference of this dates from 1391, the Ancient Egyptians employed all blue gemstones for this purpose.
Several Pontiffs possessed comparable objects, including Charles V, who was said to wear a Sapphire set in a ring to touch people’s eyes and heal them of ailments.
Mme De Genlis
In her narrative of ‘Le Saphire Merveilleux,’ Mme de Genlis, a popular 19th-century French writer, featured a color-changing sapphire as a plot device, based on a real gemstone. A Sapphire is one of the main elements in the novel and is used to determine the guilt of an adulteress.
The alleged adulteress is instructed to keep the magical Sapphire, which will change color at her trial if she is found guilty. Looking at this mystical form of sapphire it has definitely become a legendary gemstone.