Amethyst Beaded Necklace

The name Amethyst is derived from the word "methustos" meaning intoxicated. The prefix "a-" meaning "not", translates the word to "not intoxicated" or "not drunk". The ancients used to carry the stone in hopes it will stop them from becoming drunk or that it would cure their drunkenness. This belief probably stemmed from the myth of the titan Rhea giving an amethyst to the god of wine and madness Dionysus to protect him. Amethyst is mined all over the world. Deposits have been found throughout South and North America, Asia and Africa. Due to how widespread quartz as a mineral is, amethysts are also widely available in varying quantities. One of the largest deposits of amethysts is in Zambia. The crystal is also extensively mined in Brazil, Russia and Korea. Tibetan Buddhist monks use amethysts to make prayer beads. The beads are used during prayer and meditation to help the monks concentrate as the stone is seen as calming to the mind. In the past amethyst and other types of quartz,