If you were born in February, then Amethyst is your birthstone. Amethyst also commemorates the 4th and 6th wedding anniversaries. Amethyst has been known from antiquity, being found in ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman jewelry. The word, amethyst is derived from a Greek word that means "not to intoxicate". The Greeks believed that drinking from an amethyst cup would prevent drunkenness. Amethyst was also believed to protect soldiers in battle; consequently, weapons set with amethyst have been discovered in sites throughout the Mediteranean Sea region.
Amethyst is a purple gemstone, but spans the shades of purple from lavender to a deep purple that almost appears black. Darker amethyst is considered to be the most valuable. The majority of dark purple amethyst is found in Africa, particularly in Namibia and Zambia. Small deposits have also been recently found in the Southwestern United States.
Amethyst is a member of the quartz mineral group. Amethyst has a hardness of 7 and a specific gravity of 2.66. Amethyst is most commonly found in Africa and South America.