A brief history of powerful gemstone amulets | V&A

Bewitching and beautiful, spiritual and sparkling – colourful stones, crystals and gems have been used throughout human history for devotion and decoration. For centuries, these natural curiosities have been gathered from the landscape and crafted into intimate objects which often have amuletic (protective), or healing properties when worn, carried, or held.

From an ancient Roman amethyst statuette to a charming mythical creature carved from nephrite jade, a bloodstone scorpion ring to a crystal amulet container made to hold crayfish eyes – join Assistant Curator Sophie Morris as she takes us through some of her favourite treasures, revealing the hidden meaning, magical attributes and enduring power of gemstones.

00:00 What are gemstones?
00:24 Rock crystal crayfish eye amulet
02:00 Precious rock crystal reliquary cross
03:27 Historic lapidary book
04:48 Sapphire, hessonite garnet and peridot pendant
07:19 Turquoise-set amulet case
08:48 Nephrite jade mythical creature (qilin)
10:30 Scorpion and serpent-figure bloodstone intaglios
12:26 Ancient amethyst empress statuette

See more gemstones in our jewellery collection: https://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/jewellery

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