POPULAR SEARCHES:   rings  cut stones  tourmaline  diamond ring  yellow supphire  beryl  
 
This chapter is tagged (labeled) with:  Gemstones,  History,  Amulet,  Talisman,  English,  Beginners

Ch. 2: Precious Stones as Talismans

Ch. 2: Precious Stones as Talismans Page of 467 Ch. 2: Precious Stones as Talismans Text size:minus plus Restore normal size   Mail page  Print this page
32 THE CURIOUS LORE OP PRECIOUS STONES
da Este. In Italy the graves of young virgins and of children were covered with green branches. When the Codex Justinianus was rediscovered and added to the other Pandects, it was bound in green to signify that these laws were rejuvenated.
Black for men means gravity, good sense, constancy, and fortitude; for young women, fickleness and foolish­ness, but for married women, constant love and perse­verance. The planet Saturn and Saturday are denoted by black. Strange to say, the diamond, the white gem par excellence, was selected to represent this sombre hue- Perhaps to offset this the animal chosen was the hog. As black was a mourning color, we need not be sur­prised that it typified decrepitude. The number eight, the double square, was supposed to have some affinity with black. Black is a symbol of envy, for the thoughts which aim at another's injury cloud the soul and afflict the body. The book of laws treating of dispositions made in view of death was bound in black. The sinister sig­nificance of black is well illustrated by what is told of the ruthless Tartar Tamerlane. When he attacked a city, he caused a white tent to be pitched for himself on the first day of the siege, as a sign that mercy would be shown to the inhabitants if they immediately sur­rendered ; on the second day a red tent was substituted, signifying that if the city yielded, all the leaders would be put to death; on the third day, however, a black tent was raised, an ominous signal that no mercy would be shown and that all the inhabitants would be slaughtered.
Violet for a man denoted sober judgment, industry, and gravity; for a woman, high thoughts and religious love. It was the color of the planet Jupiter and of Thursday. As with blue, the sapphire was conceived to
Ch. 2: Precious Stones as Talismans Page of 467 Ch. 2: Precious Stones as Talismans
Suggested Illustrations
Other Chapters you may find useful
bullet Tag
This Page