Up until recently, people thought that Bloody Marys along with raw eggs are the best options for a hangover. Even though both of these things can be of huge help in this situation, archaeologists have uncovered another one that’s equally good.
We are talking about a purple and gold amethyst ring. According to the Israel Antiquities Authority, this ring was excavated in Yavne, a city in the Central District of Israel. Namely, many experts suggest that it is highly likely that the amethyst ring belonged to either a worker or owner of the warehouse.
That person believed that with the help of this ring, people would be able to reduce the negative effects of drinking large amounts of wine. If you’re curious to learn more about this topic, below you’ll be able to gather more information about it.
Breathtaking And Useful
Before we proceed, let’s take a look at some interesting facts about this wonderful gemstone. Namely, Amethyst is a purple variety of quartz and it is considered one of the most popular gemstones in both decoration and jewelry. Quartz is the second most accessible mineral on our planet.
Thanks to its wide accessibility, it is frequently utilized in creating ceramics, glass, and various building materials. When it comes to Amethyst, it has been mostly employed as a decorative stone, as well as making jewelry. It was extremely popular in ancient Egypt.
This wonderful gemstone is known for its vivid violet nuance. Furthermore, it gets this color when iron supersedes silicone in the structure of the crystal via irradiation. Amethyst’s color ranges from light violet to very deep purple.
Nowadays, you can come across this gemstone in different parts of the world, starting from North and South America, through Africa and Asia. That’s precisely one of the reasons why it can easily be accessed.
Amethyst & Alcohol
Even though the world has just discovered that it is an amazing hangover cure, ancient Greeks also believed that it can also keep you from getting drunk. The name comes from the term “methustos” which means intoxicated, however, when the prefix “a” is involved it will turn into “not intoxicated” or simply “not drunk”.
What’s the story behind this definition? Namely, the ancient Greeks used to bring the stone with them believing it is going to stop them from groggy and it is highly likely that this belief stems from the story of the titan Rhea who was often giving the stone to Dionysus (the god of wine and madness) to protect him.
What Else Did The Expert Say?
Who Did It Belong To?
According to Dr. Amir Golani who is an expert when it comes to gemstones and jewelry and who has also examined this ring, the person who owned it was probably extremely wealthy and it is highly likely that this ring was an indication of their wealth and status.
It’s difficult to tell whether it belonged to a man or woman since both genders were fond of it. In the Bible, this gemstone was mentioned as one of the twelve precious stones worn often by the high priest of the temple.
Furthermore, this ring was found approximately one hundred and fifty meters from the remains of an old warehouse. It contained amphorae, which represents a jar utilized to store wine. Israel Antiquities Authority suggests that the ring has probably been passed down from generation to generation for many centuries.
As it was previously mentioned, the ring most likely belonged to someone who was wealthy. In fact, these types of amethyst rings were generally very popular in the Roman world, which means that we’re talking about the person who has lived in Yavneh, around the 3rd century.
Now, what no one knows for sure is whether the person who had the ring carried it to avoid intoxication from drinking huge amounts of wine or for any other reason that has nothing to do with it.
Dr. Elie Haddad, co-director of the excavation stated that the experts are not sure who was the owner of this astonishing ring. According to them, the owner of the warehouse could possibly be the owner, maybe a supervisor, or who knows, maybe it belonged to an unlucky visitor who has accidentally dropped and lost the ring until it was recently discovered.
Do the experts know how old the ring is? They were quite hesitant to give the precise answer, still, what they do know is the fact that the amethyst ring was found in areas dated to early Islamic periods and the late Byzantine, which means that it could possibly be around 2,000 years old.