CHAKRA: Throat Chakra
BIRTHSTONE: December
ZODIAC: Sagittarius, Capricorn
The birthstone of December, Turquoise, is a symbol of friendship. Gifting Turquoise to someone you love is believed to bring them good fortune. Its no surprise this powerful stone, revered by diverse cultures, represents such a special time of year. The month of December is host to many multicultural celebrations featuring family and blessings. From Christmas to Omisoka, the last month of the year is a “world of holidays.” A few of December’s holidays around the world include Christmas, Hanukkah (or Chanukah), Kwanzaa, New Years Eve, and Omisoka (Japanese New Year).
This valuable mineral (a hydrous phosphate of copper and aluminium) is one of the oldest protection amulets used in ancient cultures as a symbol of wealth and prosperity. Turquoise is known as the talisman of kings, shamans, and warriors. It is also associated with connections to the spiritual world, psychic sensitivity and clearing negative energy.
Turquoise beads dating back to 5000 B.C. have been found in Iraq, and the Egyptians were mining the stones in the Sinai in 3200 B.C. The name Turquoise is derived from the French, pierre turquoise, meaning “Turkish stone,” because the trade routes that brought Turquoise to Europe from the mines in central Asia went through Turkey, and Venetian merchants often purchased the stone in Turkish bazaars. [Simmons, 419]
Turquoise comes in shades of blue, green and yellow (a jasper/serpentine stone with hematite webbing, rather than a true turquoise). Delicate veining or mottled webbing in cream or brown is inherent to the stone adding depth and character - perfect for designing gorgeous statement pieces of jewelry.
Additional attributes of Turquoise include:
For those of you who own a turquoise gemstone and/or a piece of turquoise jewellery I hope this blog has shared some new insights into your treasured piece. The positive energy of this tantalizing stone makes turquoise a stone worthy of collecting and gifting.
cheers,
Lorraine
Footnote References
The symbols [ ] enclose the author's name and a page number for a reference cited from the following books:
[Simmons, pp.] Robert Simmons & Naisha Ahsian, The Book of Stones (Berkley, CA: North Atlantic Books, 2007)
