Turquoise is December's Birthstone
If you're still young enough to remember your birthday, you
probably also remember the special birthstone assigned to it.
But at your age, we bet you don't really know the SIGNIFICANCE
of your birthstone and what power the ancients felt would be
bestowed about you by wearing it. December Birthstone: Turquoise
Birthstone Properties: Alternative Birthstone: Lapis Lazuli
Turquoise is the birthstone for December and the traditional
gift to commemorate the 5th and 11th years of marriage. It's
color is, of course, is referred to as turquoise, but the hue
can range widely from the familiar green-blue to a light
sky-blue. It is generally accepted that turquoise gets its name
from "pierre turquoise" a French phrase meaning "Turkish stone."
Others believe that the name comes from the Persian word
"fiouze," meaning the color turquoise. Ancient and yet always at
the height of current fashion, turquoise was mined by early
Egyptians as early as 6000 BC. Many people are surprised to
learn that the finest turquoise comes from Iran, not the
American Southwest. However beautiful specimens are also found
in Arizona and New Mexico in the United States, as well as in
Australia, Afghanistan and other localities in the Middle East.
Sacred Stone For thousands of years, turquoise has been
appreciated as a holy stone, talisman, and a good-luck-charm.
The excavation of Egyptian tombs from approximately 3,000 B.C.
holds the oldest living proof of man's interest in turquoise,
where the gemstone was found decorating artifacts that were
buried with the dead. When the tomb of Queen Zer was unearthed
in 1900, a turquoise and gold bracelet was found on her wrist,
one of the oldest pieces of jewelry ever discovered! In ancient
Persian, the sky-blue gemstones were originally worn around the
neck or on the hand as protection to ward off unnatural death.
If the stones changed their colour, there was an imminent danger
for the wearer. Turquoise also has a sacred place in the
religious rites of North American Indians and by the Tibetans,
whose shamans include it in rituals and ceremonies. Turquoise is
said to promote mental and spiritual clarity to enhance wisdom,
trust, kindness, and understanding. You've Got the Power Apache
Indians believed that turquoise gave warriors and hunters better
aim and Zuni tribes believed that it protected them from demons.
In Asia, turquoise was considered protection against the evil
eye, while Tibetans carved turquoise into ritual objects.
Wherever in the world it is worn and loved, turquoise is
believed to promote prosperity Traveler's Aid For centuries,
turquoise was thought to protect riders and horses from falls.
Today the beautiful stone is considered a good luck "charm" for
aviators, flight staff and other professionals who need to ward
off accidents. Turquoise's bright and happy color is supposed to
lend self-confidence to subdued personalities, and it is also
very popular as a token of friendship, since Turquoise is
reputed to be responsible for faithfulness and reliable
relationships