Just off the coast of Egypt lies a small desert island called Zabargad. A few miles north of the Tropic of Cancer, it is an uplifted mantle, virtually an inside-out island. Here the gem Peridot is born of fire in the molten rock of the upper mantle and brought to the light by the tremendous forces of earthquakes and volcanoes. One of only two gems (Diamond is the other) formed in an upper mantle, it is also one of the few gems that comes in only one color—a glorious bright olive that is said to shine in the moonlight.
Peridot has been prized since the earliest civilizations for its protective powers to drive away the forces of darkness. Set in gold and worn around the neck or bound to the left arm, it was used as a charm against sorcery and magic. Documentation from the first century before Christ shows the little island in the Red Sea as one of the most closely guarded regions of the ancient world. But Peridot also has extraterrestrial origins. It has also been found in rare pallasite meteorites formed over 4.5 billion years ago at our solar system’s birth. NASA has also found it in comet dust and even on the moon. No wonder ancient people believed that it came to Earth from a sun’s explosion bringing special healing power from beyond.
Peridot brings all the power and joy of sunshine—inner warmth, well-being, and contentment. It is a powerful manifesting stone and is said to bring increase of wealth, health, joy, and abundance.