History

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From Historic notes, the  ancient Sumerians in Mesopotamia were one of the earliest people to use crystals back in the 4th century bc.

Ancient Chinese are also thought to have been using crystal for medicines up to 5000 years ago.

Crystals were seen as the tools of the earth and have also been used as currency.

The properties of pendulums led to Christiaan Huygens invented the first modern time-keeping device, the pendulum clock. This remained popular until the invention of the quartz clock in the 1930s. His invention made timekeeping more accurate, reducing errors from 15 minuets per day to 15 seconds per day.

Pope John XXII even issued a mandate in the 1300’s which to some extent outlawed pendulum use. Pendulum use was thought of work from the devil and witchcraft! However during the early 1900’s the Vatican hired Abbé Mermet to locate several lost treasures.

Ancient Egyptians used Lapis Lazuli, Turquoise, Carnelian, Emerald   and clear Quart in jewellery. Some used crystals for health, protection and beauty.  Malachite and Galena were ground to a fine powder and used as eye shadow.

Green stones were used to signify the heart and were placed over the heart of the deceased, it was also discovered that the ancient Mexicans also practised this ritual.

The Egyptians used pendulums to help them predict the best location to plant their crop fields and determine the sex of unborn babies.

The word crystal comes form from the Greek word 'Crustllos' (Kroos-tal-los) meaning cold and drop - very cold icicles of hardness.

Theopnrastus (c371 - 287bc) wrote 'On Stones' this was used by other lapidaries as a source material until the renaissance. The stones were classified as rocks and gems depending on their behaviour when heated and grouping minerals by their common properties.

The Greeks believed that rose quartz was created from the blood as Adonis lay dying as Aphroditeas held him, symbolising their eternal love.