Imagine holding a stone that ancient priests believed could reveal the future, medieval physicians prescribed as medicine, and Renaissance nobles wore to protect themselves from poison. George Frederick Kunz's 1913 masterpiece "The Curious Lore of Precious Stones" isn't just a book about pretty rocks – it's a journey through humanity's deepest beliefs about the mystical powers of gems. This comprehensive work, dedicated to J. Pierpont Morgan, reveals how precious stones have shaped human culture, religion, and superstition across millennia. Let me take you through the most captivating discoveries from this treasure trove of gemstone wisdom.
The Author and His Mission
George Frederick Kunz wasn't your average gemologist. As the leading gem expert for Tiffany & Company and curator of precious stone collections for major museums, he had access to some of the world's most extraordinary gems and the stories behind them. His book, compiled from 25 years of research and featuring specimens from the Morgan Collection at the American Museum of Natural History, represents the most comprehensive study of gemstone folklore ever assembled. What makes this work particularly valuable is Kunz's scholarly approach – he doesn't just repeat old wives' tales but traces them to their sources and explains their cultural significance.
The Deep Roots of Gemstone Superstition
Kunz begins by exploring why humans have always attributed supernatural powers to stones. He argues that our fascination with gems goes beyond their beauty – it's rooted in their permanence. While flowers fade and seasons change, the ruby that adorned an ancient crown shines just as brilliantly today. This durability made gems seem immortal, divine, and therefore magical.
The book reveals that medieval scholars didn't question whether gems had powers – they accepted it as fact and spent their energy explaining HOW these powers worked. Anselmus De Boot, court physician to Rudolph II of Germany, believed that God, angels, and even demons could inhabit precious stones. Good angels entered gems to protect humans, while evil spirits might inhabit them to lead people astray. This wasn't considered superstition but legitimate science of the era.
Talismans and Amulets: The Original Jewelry
One of the book's most fascinating sections explores how wearing gems for protection predates wearing them for beauty. Kunz suggests that jewelry itself may have originated from the talismanic use of stones rather than mere decoration. Every culture he studied – from ancient Egypt to pre-Columbian America – used gems as protective amulets.
The book details specific stones and their protective powers:
- Turquoise: Protected riders from falls and changed color to warn of danger
- Carnelian: Stopped bleeding and calmed anger
- Emerald: Strengthened memory and protected from evil spells
- Diamond: Made the wearer invincible in battle (but only if obtained freely, not bought)
- Ruby: Protected from poison and plague
- Sapphire: Preserved chastity and detected fraud
The High Priest's Breastplate: A Sacred Puzzle
Kunz devotes significant attention to the twelve stones of Aaron's breastplate, described in Exodus. This ancient Jewish artifact has fascinated scholars for millennia because identifying the exact stones is nearly impossible – ancient Hebrew gem names don't perfectly match our modern terminology. Kunz provides two different interpretations: one for the original Mosaic breastplate and another for the Second Temple period, acknowledging that gem knowledge evolved over the eight centuries between them.
His proposed identifications include:
- Odem (First stone): Red jasper or carnelian
- Pitdah: Light-green serpentine or peridot
- Bareketh: Green feldspar or emerald
- Nophek: Almandine garnet or ruby
- Sappir: Lapis lazuli (not sapphire as we know it)
- Yahalom: Onyx (not diamond as often translated)
- Leshem: Brown agate or sapphire
- Shebo: Banded agate
- Ahlamah: Amethyst
- Tarshish: Yellow jasper or topaz
- Shoham: Malachite or beryl
- Yashpheh: Green jasper or jade
Each stone bore the name of one of the twelve tribes of Israel and was believed to light up when God communicated through them.
Birth Stones: From Sacred to Personal
Perhaps the most enduring legacy of ancient gem lore is the tradition of birthstones. Kunz traces this custom to the writings of Josephus in the first century and St. Jerome in the fifth century, who first connected the breastplate stones to the twelve months and zodiac signs. However, the actual practice of wearing birthstones didn't begin until the 18th century in Poland, possibly influenced by Jewish gem traders.
Originally, people would own all twelve stones and wear each during its corresponding month to maximize its power. The modern practice of wearing only one's birth month stone is a later simplification. Kunz notes that the birthstone list has evolved significantly – turquoise replaced other stones for December, ruby was added for July, and diamond became April's stone despite not appearing in the original biblical lists.
Crystal Gazing and Luminous Stones
The book contains extensive sections on crystal balls and the ancient art of scrying. Kunz explains that the hypnotic effect of gazing into crystals can induce trance states, which practitioners interpreted as visions of the future. He describes the famous "shew stone" of Dr. John Dee, Elizabeth I's astrologer, and various cultural traditions of crystal divination from Japan to ancient Rome.
Particularly intriguing are his accounts of luminous stones – gems that allegedly glowed in the dark. While some cases were clearly fraudulent (involving phosphorescent paint), others remain unexplained. The book describes diamonds that continued glowing after exposure to light, a phenomenon we now understand as phosphorescence, though medieval observers saw it as proof of imprisoned spirits.
Medical Marvels: Gems as Medicine
One of the most extensive sections covers the therapeutic use of gems, a practice that persisted into the 19th century. Kunz documents hundreds of medical uses:
- Bloodstone: Stopped nosebleeds and hemorrhages
- Amber: Cured throat ailments and protected from plague
- Pearl powder: Treated heart conditions and melancholy
- Emerald: Cured eye diseases and epilepsy
- Sapphire: Healed boils and restored eyesight
- Ruby: Prevented nightmares and cured liver problems
Physicians would prescribe gems to be worn against the skin, ground into powder and consumed, or soaked in wine to create medicinal tinctures. While modern medicine dismisses these treatments, Kunz notes that the placebo effect and auto-suggestion might have produced genuine healing in believers.
Religious Significance Across Cultures
The book extensively documents how gems figured in religious practices worldwide. Christian churches adorned reliquaries with gems believing they amplified the holy relics' power. The famous Santo Cáliz (Holy Grail) of Valencia was thought to be carved from a single emerald. Buddhist and Hindu traditions assigned specific gems to chakras and spiritual states.
Kunz describes remarkable religious artifacts:
- The Sacro Catino of Genoa, claimed to be the dish from the Last Supper
- Toledo Cathedral's spherical emerald, stolen during the Napoleonic wars
- Japanese magatama (curved jewels) found in ancient graves
- Tibetan prayer beads made from human skulls and precious stones
Phenomenal Gems: Nature's Light Shows
Kunz had special fascination for what he called "phenomenal gems" – stones displaying optical effects like stars, cat's eyes, or color changes. He believed ancient peoples saw these effects as proof of divine presence within the stone. Star sapphires and rubies, with their six-rayed stars, were thought to contain the Star of David. Alexandrite, which changes from green in daylight to red in candlelight, was believed to reveal truth from lies.
Cultural Insights and Global Perspectives
The book's greatest strength is its global scope. Kunz draws from:
- Egyptian texts describing amulet preparation
- Babylonian cylinder seals with gemstone prescriptions
- Chinese jade lore spanning 4,000 years
- Indian Ayurvedic gem therapy
- Native American turquoise traditions
- European medieval lapidaries
- Arabian treatises on gem magic
This cross-cultural approach reveals universal human beliefs about gems while highlighting unique regional traditions.
The Power of Suggestion and Modern Relevance
While Kunz was writing in 1913, he showed remarkable insight into psychology. He suggests that many gemstone "powers" worked through auto-suggestion – if someone truly believed their turquoise would protect them from falls, they might ride more carefully. He also discusses the emerging science of radioactivity and wonders if some stones might emit energies science hadn't yet detected.
His balanced approach – respectful of ancient wisdom while maintaining scientific skepticism – makes the book valuable even today. He doesn't mock old superstitions but tries to understand what truths they might contain.
Notable Stories and Anecdotes
The book is filled with captivating historical anecdotes:
- A Hungarian countess who murdered hundreds of young women to bathe in their blood, believing it would preserve her youth like certain gems
- Napoleon's carnelian seal, which he never lost a battle while wearing
- The cursed Delhi Purple Sapphire that brought misfortune to all who owned it
- Stones bearing natural images of Christ or the Virgin Mary, regarded as miracles
- The tradition of swallowing pearl powder at Chinese imperial banquets
- Medieval nobles who had servants taste their wine from cups made of "unicorn horn" (actually narwhal tusk) believed to neutralize poison
The Science Behind the Superstition
Kunz frequently attempts to find rational explanations for gem beliefs. He notes that:
- Red stones were associated with blood and therefore used to treat bleeding
- Green stones resembled plants and were used for healing
- Transparent stones were linked to clarity of mind
- Hard stones like diamond symbolized strength and invincibility
He also discusses how gem colors affect human psychology – blue calms, red energizes, green soothes – suggesting ancient peoples intuitively understood color therapy.
Legacy and Lasting Impact
"The Curious Lore of Precious Stones" established the scholarly study of gem folklore and remains the definitive reference over a century later. Kunz's work influenced:
- Modern birthstone traditions
- New Age crystal healing practices
- Museum curation and gem collection
- Historical fiction and fantasy literature
- Anthropological understanding of material culture
Really More Than Just Pretty Stones
Reading Kunz's masterwork reveals that humanity's relationship with gems transcends mere aesthetic appreciation. These stones have served as medicine, protection, religious artifacts, and windows into the divine. They've started wars, sealed marriages, and supposedly saved lives. Whether you believe in their mystical powers or see them as beautiful mineralogical specimens, understanding their cultural significance enriches our appreciation of both human history and the natural world.
The book reminds us that for most of human history, the line between science and magic was blurry at best. What we now call superstition was once cutting-edge medical practice. What we dismiss as folklore contained generations of observational wisdom. And perhaps most importantly, the human need to find meaning and power in natural objects – to believe that a simple stone can change our fate – remains as strong today as it was when the first human picked up a glittering pebble and decided it was special.
In an age where we understand the atomic structure of diamonds and can synthesize rubies in laboratories, Kunz's work reminds us that knowledge doesn't diminish wonder. If anything, understanding the deep history of our fascination with gems makes them more, not less, magical. Every engagement ring carries echoes of ancient protection rituals. Every birthstone pendant connects us to centuries of astronomical observation and religious tradition. Every museum gem collection represents humanity's eternal quest to possess a piece of earth's deep beauty and mysterious power.
The curious lore of precious stones isn't just about the stones themselves – it's about us, our hopes, fears, and eternal desire to find magic in the world around us. And perhaps that's the greatest treasure Kunz's book offers: not the knowledge of what people believed about gems, but insight into why we've always needed to believe in something greater than ourselves, even if that something is just a pretty rock formed billions of years ago in the heart of our endlessly surprising planet.
