AMETHYST

Purple rock crystal. The finer varieties are in great request for cutting into seals and brooch stones. Some of the ancient vases and cups are composed of this mineral, and it was an opinion among the Persiansthat v/ine drank out of an amethystine cup would not intoxicate: hence its name, from the Greek otfAiOua-TOi. •■ [s. 53]