ACHLAMAII (rIthnti; Sept.'AplOvcr!ros; Vulg.
Amethystas), a precious stone, mentioned in Scrip ture as the ninth in the breastplate of the high-priest (Exod. xxviii. ; xxxix. 12)1 and the twelfth in the foundations of the New Jerusalem (Rev. xxi. 20). The concurrence of various circumstances leave little doubt that the stone anciently known as the amethyst is really denoted by the Hebrew word ; and as the stone so called by the ancients was certainly that which still continues to bear the same name, their identity may be considered as established.
The transparent gems to which this name is applied are of a colour which seems composed of a strong blue and deep red ; and according as either of these prevails, exhibit different tinges of purple, sometimes approaching to violet, and sometimes declining even to a rose colour. From these differences of colour the ancients distinguished five species of the amethyst ; modern collections afford at least as many varieties, but they are all compre hended under two species, the Oriental Amethyst and the Occidental Amethyst. These names, how ever, are given to stones of essentially different natures ; which were, no doubt, anciently con founded in the same manner. The Oriental amethyst is very scarce, and of great hardness, lustre, and beauty. It is in fact a rare variety of the adamantine spar, or corundum. Next to the diamond, it is the hardest substance known. It contains about go per cent of alumine, a little iron, and a little silica. Of this species, emery, used in cutting and polishing glass, etc., is a granular variety. To this species also belongs the sapphire,
the most valuable of gems next to the diamond; and of which the Oriental amethyst is merely a violet variety. Like other sapphires, it loses its colour in the fire, and comes out with so much of the lustre and colour of the diamond, that the most experienced jeweller may be deceived by it.
The more common, or Occidental amethyst, is a variety of quartz, or rock crystal, and is found in various forms in many parts of the world, as India, Siberia, Sweden, Germany, Spain ; and even in England very beautiful specimens of tolerable hard ness have been discovered. This also loses its colour in the fire.
Amethysts were much used by the ancients for rings and cameos ; and the reason given by Pliny —because they were easily cut—' Sculpturis faeiles' (Hist. Nat. xxxvii. 9), shews that the Occidental species is to be understood. The ancients believed that the amethyst possessed the power of dispelling drunkenness in those who wore or touched it, and hence its Greek name (` ab a privativo et flethice ebrius sum'—Martini, Excurs. p. 158). In like manner, the Rabbins derive its Jewish name from its supposed power of procuring dreams to the wearer, thri signifying 'to dream' (Briickmann, Abhandlung von der Edelsteine ; Hill's Theo phrastus, notes ; Braun, de Vest. Sac. Hcb. ii. 16; Hillier, Tract de xii. in Paton Pontif Hebrawrum ; Winer, Biblisches Realwortrebuch ; Rosenmiiller, etc., of the Bible). — J. K.