Opal History and Lore
Opal
is thought to have been discovered as long as 4,000 years ago, and
myths and lore abound in practically all cultures. The ancient Greeks
thought opal to be the tears of Zeus and prized it as highly as
diamonds. They believed opal gave the gift of foresight and prophecy,
which would ensure the owner success in war, business and life. The
ancient Romans wore opal as a symbol of hope and purity and believed it
could cure illness. In ancient India, opal was referred to as the
Goddess of the Rainbow, turned to stone. Ancient Arab cultures believed
opal had fallen from the sky and that the play of color was trapped
lightning. According to Arab lore, opal could make the wearer
invisible. The ancient Australian aborigines, however, envisaged a more
sinister origin. They thought opal to be half serpent and half devil,
and that the brightly colored fire within was an attempt to lure them
into the devil's lair.
Pliny the Elder in his writings tells of a Roman senator called Nonius who, in 35 BC, owned a ring set with a particularly beautiful opal the size of a hazelnut and valued at 2,000,000 sesterces. Roman General Mark Antony decided he must have Nonius' opal, but when Nonius refused to sell, the enraged Antony banished him. Nonius fled Rome, leaving behind all his possesions, save the opal ring which was the cause of his exile.
Opal has been thought to have healing powers in many world cultures, and in the middle ages, it became known as the Opthalmius, or Eye Stone, and was thought to strengthen eyesight. Blonde maidens wore opals to protect their hair from fading or darkening.