Ruby—Mother of the Earth’s Blood

In the tenth century, Chinese gem carvers engraved depictions of dragons and snakes of the surfaces of rubies to gain money and power. In India, worshippers gave rubies as an offering to their god Krishna, and in China, the stones paid homage to Buddha.

In his famed Lapidary, Philippe de Valois lavished praise on the royally red rock, writing that “the books tell us the beautiful clear and fine ruby is the lord of stones; it is the gem of gems and surpasses all other precious stones in virtue.” Sir John Mandeville similarly evoked his opinion that ownership of a ruby would accord safety from all peril and wonderful relationships with friends and neighbors. He further recommended that rubies be worn on the left side of the body.

In Myanmar, ruby was viewed as a stone of invincibility, and soldiers had a radical approach to harnessing its protective power—before marching into battle, they would embed the gem into their skins! They believed the color “ripened” inside the earth. Prehistoric peoples believed that rubies were crystallized drops of the mother of the earth’s blood.