PERIDOT: Properties, Myths, and Interesting Facts

Element: Earth                                         
Chakras: Solar Plexus (3rd) and Heart (4th)
Crystal Structure: Orthorhombic
Composition: Magnesium Iron Silicate
Hardness: 7
Zodiac: Taurus

HISTORICAL: The Egyptians were wearing Peridot (also known as Olivine) beads 2500 years ago. Other jewelry and rings were worn by the Greeks and Romans as early as the 3rd and 4th centuries.

Peridot has always been a symbol of the sun and is associated with light.  Because it symbolizes light, it was thought to have the power to drive away the dark forces of evil spirits. It was worn as protection and was associated with royalty and wealth.

METAPHYSICAL: Peridot is a stone of prosperity and carries with it the frequency of abundance - not just monetarily, but in its ability to help us be open to receiving blessings from the Universe in all levels of our life. 

Peridot is a powerful healing stone. As a cleanser, it helps release and neutralize toxins. It is associated with Earth energy. It helps clear burdens, guilt, and obsessions. It helps remove our inner thoughts that have been blocking us from receiving blessings in the past.   

The Book of Stones tells us that Peridot is an Elven stone and can be used to communicate with fairy realms and Nature's Spirits of all kinds.

INTERESTING FACTS: Peridot is one of only 2 gemstones that are NOT formed in the Earth's crust.  It, along with Diamond, is formed in the molten rock of the upper mantle and reaches the surface of the Earth through monumental tectonic events such as volcanoes and earthquakes. 

It is one of the few gemstones that is always the same color - green. The shade of green will vary based on the amount of iron in the stone's composition. The most valuable color - a deep olive green - will have less iron than the lighter color stones.

 Some Peridot crystals have extraterrestrial origins, as it has been found in a handful of meteorites. In 2006, Peridot in its basic form of the mineral, Olivine, was detected in comet dust from NASA's space probe, Stardust. It has been found on the moon and detected by instruments on Mars.

*Credits: The Book of Stones, The Crystal Bible, and the website, Crystal Vaults/Crystal Encyclopedia