August Birthstone - Peridot

Healing Properties and Interesting Information

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Where Found

Some fine gem peridot has recently been found in Pakistan. Volcanic bombs containing small peridot crystals of nice gem quality have been found in basaltic rocks New Mexico and Arizona. The San Carlos Apache Reservation in Arizona has yielded numerous stones that are in the 4 to 5 carat range as uncut rough. In recent times, some large finished stones from Myanmar in the 40 to 50 carat weight range were recorded. The earliest known source of peridot is the Egyptian island Zabargad (St. John's Island), located in the Red Sea. Peridot has been mined on this island for more than 3,500 years, and good crystals still abound there. Other sources of this august birthstone include Australia, Brazil, Myanmar, Norway, and the United States (Hawaii and Arizona). Peridot has even been found in some meteorites.

History, mythology

Historically, the use of peridot goes back several thousands of years. Egyptians enslaved the people of St. John's Island in the Red Sea and forced them to mine peridot for use in ornaments and jewelry. Fine gem peridot has also been mined near Mogok, Burma, and Minas Gerais, Brazil. Peridot is among the oldest known gemstones. As early as 1575 to 1350 b.c.e. the ancient Egyptians used peridot beads in their ceremonial jewelry. Since antiquity, peridot has been regarded as a symbol of the sun and was worn in amulets to prevent nightmares. Late in the Ottoman Empire (1300 to 1918), peridot was a highly prized gem, and Turkish Sultans amassed some of the world's largest collections of the gemstone.

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