The rich green emerald holds within it the promise of new life in
springtime. How appropriate that it should also be considered the May
birthstone.
Emerald,
green gem variety of the mineral beryl having a hardness of 8 and a sp.gr
of 2.7 to 2.9. The emerald was known
in ancient times, not only for its beauty but also for its alleged power
of healing diseases of the eye. Emeralds have always been highly prized by
royalty. Cleopatra, queen of Egypt wore emeralds from her mine in Upper
Egypt. Emeralds
sometimes contain featherlike material, often called “silk,” which
causes the gem to have a mossy appearance. Flawless specimens of good
color and size are exceedingly rare and command higher prices than
diamonds of equal weight.
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ERTÉ
"Emerald"
The lily of the valley signifies the return of happiness. White lilies represent
purity, chastity, sweetness and innocence. White lily bouquets in
Christian homes during Easter symbolize Christ's resurrection.
Legend tells that the lily sprang from Eve's tears when she was
expelled from The Garden Of Eden. The white Madonna lily is
considered the special flower of the Holy Virgin - Christian folklore
tells the lily had been yellow until the day the Virgin Mary
stooped to pick it. Other folklore tells of lilies, unplanted by
any human hand spontaneously appearing on the graves of people
executed for crimes they did not commit. Some believe that
planting lilies in a garden will protect the garden from ghosts and
evil spirits.
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