About Gemstones
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		Amethyst
		Believed by the ancient Greeks to have been stained with the wine of Bacchus, this stone was thought a charm against intoxication and so named "amethustos"...or "not drunken". Amethyst has been prized ever since, particularly by royalty, for its rich purple hues. It may be found in color ranging from the palest lavender to the deepest purple. A member of the quartz family, amethyst is mined extensively in Brazil and Zambia. Some overly dark stones may be lightened permanently through heating.