CHAPTER
- 3
SAPPHIRE
IN ANTIQUITY, FOLK-TALES,
FABLES
AND COLLECTION
IN
ANTIQUITY
Though it is difficult to trace the
period of the first origin and recognition of Blue Sapphire,
however, we may get an idea about its antiquity by studying the
sources that refer to Shem.
IN THE WEST
The legendary first person
to wear a ring set with a sapphire was Prometheus whose stone came
from the Cacasus, where he stole fire from heaven for man. In
Ancient Persia, the earth was believed to rest on a huge sapphire
which reflected its colours as the blue-sky. To the Jews, King
Soloman’s seal-stone was said to be made with sapphire. Sapphire
was also one of the stones of the breast-plate of Aaron (Born ca
1600 B.C.), the high priest referred to in the holy Bible. The
Exodus 28:17.20 of the Bible describes the breast-plate worn by the
first High Priest which bore twelve gemstones well arranged in four
rows, each row consisting of three fine quality sapphires. The Bible
contains innumerable references to various gemstones. At one place,
it.is said (Isaiah XXX) that the sapphire procures favour with
princes, pacifies enemies and gives freedom from enchantment and
captivity. St. Jerome, writing in the fourth and fifth centuries,
also said that sapphire saved its wearers from captivity and
pacified enemies.
The Greeks regarded
sapphire as something sacred to God Apollo, and the stone,
therefore, was traditionally worn when consulting the oracle at
Apollo’s shrine. The Greek wisemen understood what seafarers had
known for long ages that sapphires protected persons going on
journey across waters. Ever since, sapphire has been credited with
good luck on the sea.
THE BUDDHIST WORLD
Among Buddhists, sapphire
is believed to produce a desire for prayer, give spiritual light and
bring peace and happiness as long as its wearer leads a moral life.
Buddhists say that a sapphire symbolically opens a closed door and
sounds the sweet bells of peace.
IN ANCIENT INDIA
The amulet or talisman
composed of nine gemstones known as ‘NAVA-RATNA’, of which one
was blue sapphire, finds frequent mention in Sanskrit literature.
The VEDAS, which are the oldest scriptures of India also contain
several references to the most popular use of gems including
sapphire, in various rituals performed for an orderly conduct of
life.
According to Indian
gemmology, sapphires have been grouped under four ‘Varnas’
(classes). The sapphire of the BRAHMIN class is of clear blue lustre
in a white gem, i.e. brilliant blue colour. That belonging to
KSHATRIYA class has a reddish hue in blue colour. The VAISHYA class
sapphire is white with a dark blue tinge. The SHUDRA class sapphire
is blue with a blackish hue. Further, it was advised that a sapphire
(unblemished) should be worn after giving it a trial. If it suits
the wearer, it removes his poverty and gives almost everything he
could desire. It also restores lost wealth and prosperity. On the
contrary, a blemished sapphire is the cause of many troubles. If the
sapphire has white lines on it, it is bad for the eyes. The milky
stone brings poverty. Accidents may occur if a stone with cracks is
used. The double coloured stone causes enemy trouble. The one with
depression becomes the cause of boils and ulcers in the body. The
one which is dull and nontransparent causes distress to the near
realatives.
There are also the
following beliefs prevalent in India about the sapphire:
1. If the sapphire is
immersed in water and that water is used to wash the scorpion bite,
the effect of the poison is eradicated immediately.
2. If it is worn as a
talisman, it affords protection from evil spirits.
3. The sapphire warns its
owner by changing its colour if there is a conspiracy or threat of
an attack on him by his enemies.
SAPPHIRE IN COLLECTIONS
There are many famous
sapphires in the world and quite a few large ones have been placed
on public display, which amaze and dazzle modern enthusiasts:
1. The ‘Star of India’
is a 563 carat sapphire. It is at the American Museum of Natural
History in New York City. It is particularly free from flaws making
the star-effect to be quite apparent.
2. The other piece is there
– The ‘Mid-night Star’ of 116.75 carats which is a blue-violet
stone of great beauty.
3. In England, the St.
Edward’s Sapphire and the Stuart’s Sapphire are also exciting
gems.
4. The oval ‘Black
Star’ of Queensland was found in 1948 in Australia. It weighed
1156 carats when found and 733 carats after cutting. It is owned by
a gem firm in Los Angeles.
5. Perhaps, the biggest
ever sapphires were found in India. One sapphire of 951 carats was
seen in the treasure of the King of RNIWA in 1927.
6. There are two beautiful
large-sized sapphires in the collection of Jorden Des-Plantin.
Raswali is one of them, which is flawless and brilliant and weighs
132 carats. The other piece is 2” in length and 1½ “ in
thickness.
7. The Duke of Devnshire
has a fine cut sapphire which weighs 100 carats.
8. One idol of Lord Buddha,
placed on a gold pin in the gallery of minerals of the British
Museum has been made by shaping and engraving a sapphire.
9. Historical references
testify the fact that Darnley the king of Scotland and Napoleon
Bonapart possessed sapphires of the best quality.
10. The ‘MAYUR THRONE’
of Emperor Shahjahan of India had a number of best quality and
highly priced sapphires studded in it.
FABLES AND BELIEFS
It has been a firm belief,
almost in all parts of the world, that gems have divine and occult
powers. And hence,it is not surprising that so many gemstones have
been associated with fables and legends regarding their origin and
mystical powers. References to gems also find a place in the Bible,
wherein a virtuous lady has been compared to a Ruby. The Roman
ladies wore sapphires to improve their conjugal relations and
happiness. The Germans used red-corals for maintaining good health.
The Unani physicians were well aware of the value of gemstones and
they extensively used them for curative purposes.
People really believed in
different types of fables about gemstones. Sapphire was regarded as
a medicine and was also dedicated by Greeks to God Apollo. They
thought that on account of its heavenly colour, they would get an
early and favourable answer from the oracle if they possessed a
sapphire. It was also considered a charm against unchastity and a
scare against devils and evil powers.
Pope Innocent III commanded
all Bishops to wear a sapphire ring in view of the above beliefs. It
was also believed that if a sapphire was worn, it would save the
owner from captivity, and would resolve into peace.
1. FIDELITY OF A
SPOUSE
In many sources sapphire
has been credited with acknowledging the fidelity of a spouse, as it
was believed that it would change its colour if the married partner
cheated. Many sources agree that the sapphire refuses to shine for
the unchaste and impure.
According to W. Pavitt, who
mentioned in his treatise ‘Talisman, Amulets and Zodiacal Gems’,
the wife of Emperor Charlemagne (742-814 AD) possessed a powerful
talisman composed of two rough sapphires and a piece of the true
cross made to keep the emperor’s affection constant to her. It was
so effective that his love for her endured even after her death. He
refused to have her body interred, even after decomposition set in.
Burial was permitted only after Charlemagne’s confessor removed
the talisman from the dead body.
In the middle ages, the
sapphire continued to be credited with attributes of preserving
chastity, discovering fraud and treachery (by turning dark) and
protecting its wearer from poison, plague, fever and skin disease.
It was also believed that it had great power to resist black-magic
and evil thoughts.
2. ENEMY OF ALL POISONS
About sapphire, it was a
widely held belief that it is the enemy of all sorts of
poison. This belief gave rise to the following practices :
1. To drink a solution made
from powdered sapphire was helpful for those bitten by a
scorpion.
2. As per Indian system of
medicine, sapphire is bitter to the taste and possesses a lukeworm
tendency.
3. With the force of its
brilliant pure rays, sapphire could kill all noxious and venomous
creatures.
4. Bartholomew Anglicus
(1250) said : ‘Its virtue is contrary to venom and quencheth it at
every deal. And if thou puteth an addercop (Viper) in a box, and
holdeth a very sapphire at the mouth of the box, any while, by
virtue there of the addercop is overcome and dieth as it were
suddenly.’
5. It was likewise
considered powerful as a destroyer of poisonous insects which were
killed when the gem was placed at the mouth of a vessel in which
they were held.
6. Porta, in his book :
‘Natural Magic’ (1561) related that – ‘Sapphire, in magical
and religious ceremonies protected the wearer from the larvae of the
lower spiritual world, snakes and other poisonous reptiles.
3. FOR THE EYES AND BETTER
EYESIGHT
In Medieval Europe, a
widely held belief persisted that sapphires were particularly
beneficial to the eyes. The virtue of sapphire gave the eyes the
strength necessary for the ejection of the troublesome foreign body.
Further, sapphires were
credited in some circles with restoring impaired eyesight. It
was also believed to preserve eyes of smallpox patients when rubbed
with it. It was also credited with drying up shumes, and taking away
inflammation. In 1391, a sapphire was given to St. Paul’s church
in London by Richard-de-Preston, a grocer, for the shrine of St.
Erkinwald to cure eye diseases. Later an inventory of England’s
King Charles V included, ‘An oval oriented sapphire for touching
the eyes.”
4. FINGER RINGS
Finger rings are perhaps
the most popular of all amulets. Right since prehistoric times,
rings were probably associated with the Sun, which brings warmth,
light and life to the earth.
The most talismamic ring is
known as ‘NAORATNA’, which contains nine principal Gemstones in
a specific manner keeping in view the planetary influences:
|
In the Centre
|
The Sun
|
The Ruby
|
|
To the East
|
Venus
|
The Diamond
|
|
To the Southeast
|
The Moon
|
The Pearl
|
|
To the South
|
Mars
|
The Coral
|
|
To the South West
|
Rahu
|
The Jacinth
|
|
To the West
|
Saturn
|
The Sapphire
|
|
To the near East
|
Jupiter
|
The Topaz
|
|
To the North
|
The Decending Node
|
The Cat’s eye
|
|
To the Northwest
|
Mercury
|
The Emerald
|
It was a Medieval belief
that when you, ‘dream that you have found a ring, great honour
will come to thee.”
In the following pages the
readers will see photographs of some of the beautiful samples of
ornaments studded with blue sapphire.