Jewel
of the Month
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Peridot's
history begins on a small desert island 50 miles or so off
the southeast coast of Egypt in the Red Sea. The name of
the island has changed many times over recorded history.
Ancient literature calls the island Topazion, sometimes
referred to as Topazos, but it now goes by two names-its
most recent label, Zabargad, and its immediate past name
of St. John's. "Zabargad" is the Arabic word for
Peridot, although the English word "Peridot" is
said to have come from "faridat", the Arabic word
for gem. |
Large
amounts of Peridot were mined from the tiny island,
and famous museum and royal gems originated there. Mining
has been virtually nonexistent since World War II, mainly
because of the island's location.
Today,
there are four major sources of Peridot. Large saturated
gem crystals come from Burma and-some say more importantly-from
Pakistan, with smaller, more moderately colored gems
originating in Arizona and in New Mexico as well as
China.
Like
many of the world's popular gemstones, Peridot has been
credited with a host of magical powers and healing properties,
such as protection against nightmares and possessing the
power to ward off evil. The birthstone for August, Peridot
is also the suggested gemstone gift for the sixteenth
wedding anniversary.
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