Turquoise is December’s Birthstone

by E-NewsCast Team
March 15th, 2010

If you’re still young enough to remember your birthday, youprobably also remember the special birthstone assigned to it.But at your age, we bet you don’t really know the SIGNIFICANCEof your birthstone and what power the ancients felt would bebestowed about you by wearing it. December Birthstone: TurquoiseBirthstone Properties: Alternative Birthstone: Lapis LazuliTurquoise is the birthstone for December and the traditionalgift to commemorate the 5th and 11th years of marriage. It’scolor is, of course, is referred to as turquoise, but the huecan range widely from the familiar green-blue to a lightsky-blue. It is generally accepted that turquoise gets its namefrom “pierre turquoise” a French phrase meaning “Turkish stone.”Others believe that the name comes from the Persian word”fiouze,” meaning the color turquoise. Ancient and yet always atthe height of current fashion, turquoise was mined by earlyEgyptians as early as 6000 BC. Many people are surprised tolearn that the finest turquoise comes from Iran, not theAmerican Southwest. However beautiful specimens are also foundin Arizona and New Mexico in the United States, as well as inAustralia, Afghanistan and other localities in the Middle East.Sacred Stone For thousands of years, turquoise has beenappreciated as a holy stone, talisman, and a good-luck-charm.The excavation of Egyptian tombs from approximately 3,000 B.C.holds the oldest living proof of man’s interest in turquoise,where the gemstone was found decorating artifacts that wereburied with the dead. When the tomb of Queen Zer was unearthedin 1900, a turquoise and gold bracelet was found on her wrist,one of the oldest pieces of jewelry ever discovered! In ancientPersian, the sky-blue gemstones were originally worn around theneck or on the hand as protection to ward off unnatural death.If the stones changed their colour, there was an imminent dangerfor the wearer. Turquoise also has a sacred place in thereligious rites of North American Indians and by the Tibetans,whose shamans include it in rituals and ceremonies. Turquoise issaid to promote mental and spiritual clarity to enhance wisdom,trust, kindness, and understanding. You’ve Got the Power ApacheIndians believed that turquoise gave warriors and hunters betteraim and Zuni tribes believed that it protected them from demons.In Asia, turquoise was considered protection against the evileye, while Tibetans carved turquoise into ritual objects.Wherever in the world it is worn and loved, turquoise isbelieved to promote prosperity Traveler’s Aid For centuries,turquoise was thought to protect riders and horses from falls.Today the beautiful stone is considered a good luck “charm” foraviators, flight staff and other professionals who need to wardoff accidents. Turquoise’s bright and happy color is supposed tolend self-confidence to subdued personalities, and it is alsovery popular as a token of friendship, since Turquoise isreputed to be responsible for faithfulness and reliablerelationships

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