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GEMSTONE MEANINGS

Medieval Gemstone Meanings

Gemstones used in jewellery were endowed with special meanings- some medicinal and others representing virtues. These work against the bare skin or needed to be encased as each stone required. Shown at right is a beautiful ring brooch dated between 1250 and 1300 and of English or French manufacture. It is set with sapphires and garnets.

English nun, Hildegard Von Bingham wrote extensively about the properties of stones and their values in her treatice, Physica. She also writes what each of them is to be used for and for what afflictions they are best suited. Below is a list of gemstones and their medieval uses although they must be prepared properly to be of any medicinal use.

Garnet: strengthens the heart.
Sapphire: (blue) marital chastitiy, treats stys, gives knowledge, removes wrath, removes love when not desired, garners esteem from a lord, expels envy, comforts the heart, aids the detection of witchcraft.
Diamond: gives purity and virtue, defeats malice, cures palsy, jaundice, repels the devil.
Emerald: annuls the effects of poison, heartache, stomach ache, increases riches, protects from gout, epilepsy and eye problems.
Ruby: resists poison, repels plague, exulted love, protection from tempests, reduces the temptations of the flesh.
Pearl: purity.
Red Coral: protection against magic spells.
Amethyst: spots on the face, tumours, spiderbites, prevents drunkenness.
Carnelian: cures nosebleed.
Jacinth: provents fogginess of the eyes.
Onyx: good for eyes, stomach, sadness.
Beryl: poison, tranquillity.
Amber: protection against tonsilitis.
Sardonyx: promotes understanding, removes illiteracy, relieves lust.
Sard: restores hearing, promotes safe childbirth
Topaz: poison teller, good for eyes, fevers, spleen or is a leper. Good virtue.
Chrysolite: beats fevers, strengthens the heart and knowledge.
Jasper: cures deafness, snotty nose, wards off bad dreams, protects infants.
Prasine: cures fever, bruises.
Chalcedony: gives tranquillity, confidence when speaking.
Chrysoprase: defeats poison, epilepsy cure, devil possessions.
Carbuncle: wards offs spirits.
Agate: defeats spider or vermin bites, promotes prudence and judiciousness, cures epilepsy, helps lunatics, deters thieves fromt he house.
Magnesian (magnet): defeats madness, noxious humours.
Ligure: stomach ailments, difficult urination cure.
Crystal: Improves blurry eyes, scrofula cure, heart or belly ailment cure.
Pearls: Fevers and head ailments.
Mother-of-pearl: gives poison and weakness. Do not use.
Alabaster: No use. do not use.
Limestone: to dispel worms.
Turquoise: prevents danger.

Pearls were used to great effect for decoration of clothing but at earlier time periods it was deemed unsafe to wear them against the bare skin because products of the sea were believed to be unclean or tainted as they were composed from the sludge of rivers and the sea.

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