What Do Sapphires Represent?
Sapphires are a gemstone commonly mined in Africa, Asia and Australia. They are one of four precious gems that occur in nature, the others being rubies, emeralds and diamonds. Available in a variety of colors, sapphires are usually blue.
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Etymology
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The etymology of the word "sapphire" is vigorously debated. Douglas Harper, author, professor and editor of the Online Etymology Dictionary posits that the word may come from the Greek word "sappheiros," which means "blue stone." The Sanskrit for "sapphire" was originally "sanipriyah," which means "precious to Saturn."
Symbolism
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Sapphires are the birthstone for those born in the month of September. They are also one of the stones associated with the astrological sign of Virgo. Tradition dictates that sapphires are the stone given for 45th wedding anniversaries.
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Properties
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Sapphires are believed to engender tranquility, inner peace and fidelity. Practitioners of gemstone therapy and crystal healing believe that sapphires can heighten your awareness toward the thoughts and feelings of others. Ancient lapidaries believed that sapphires could prevent or reverse hearing loss, cure cancer and infections, and lower fevers.
Mythology
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Sapphires are invoked by many religions and in popular folktales. Ancient Persian scholars believed that the world perched atop an enormous sapphire, and that the blue of the sky reflected the stone's rays. Sapphires are interwoven into many items of Catholic regalia, as the stone's are thought to ward off impiety and false intentions. The use of sapphire as an aid in extra-sensory perception has also earned it the moniker, "The Stone of Destiny."
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References
- Photo Credit saphir et diamants image by pgm from Fotolia.com
