Crystal

Crystal derives from the Greek krustullos, which means ice. Many ancient cultures believed crystals like clear quartz to be ice of divine origin. Across cultures, quartz crystal is widely associated with mystic thought and practices perhaps due to its conveyance of otherworldly clarity and stillness; for this reason it was empowered with many magical properties commonly in healing or even preventing ageing. Some types of quartz crystals have the very real magical property of piezoelectricity, when subjected to mechanical stress they can produce an electrical charge that can produce sparks, this quality is likely to have been known to some ancient cultures and they have been associated with magical energy of this aesthetic. In Ancient Rome, wealthy citizens would commonly have crystal amulets to invoke various good favours. Milky white quartz crystal was used by the Ancient Egyptians during the early Dynastic Period for pendants and during the middle period for inlays and beads. A curious use of quartz is shown by the fact that a number of red inlays in Tutankhamen’s jewellery have subsequently been proved to be quartz crystal on a bed of red-coloured cement.