Ruby History & Mythology: Lord of the Stones

Ruby derives its name from the Latin “ruber” meaning 'red', and all through the ages, this red gemstone has been as highly sought after as diamond, emerald and sapphire! All of these gemstones were (and still are) valued for their rarity and beauty.

Ruby Color Associations

Renowned for its enchanting color, rubies have been associated with fire, sensuality, deep burning love and intense passion! The red blood-like color of rubies associated them with life itself and also with moral and physical purity. Due to the blood-red color, ruby was frequently used to treat ailments of the heart and circulatory system, as well as menstruation and pregnancy. Ruby was believed to detox and purify the blood.

The Many Mystical Powers of Ruby

Various cultures believed that ruby had the ability to melt wax or to boil water, as it contained a source of heat emanating from within.

Often worn as an amulet, ruby would protect its wearer and keep them safe from disease and negative energetic/psychic attacks. Ruby also protects the user from falling into poverty, by manifesting wealth and prosperity to the wearer!

A ruby pendant from an ancient civilization in Mesopotamia. Danieliness, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Ruby has a strong connection to romantic love and intimacy. This long-standing association with passion and love made ruby the perfect fertility amulet and wedding jewelry in antiquity. Wearing ruby is said to deepen the bonds between couples and maintain the fiery passion for its wearer, whilst guarding them from the negativity and infidelity.

Ruby clears any energetic blockages to the heart and is believed to ground the wearer, so they do not end up consumed by their passion, but rather, channel their passions correctly and keep their vibrations high.

On an emotional level, ruby is used to regulate fear and strengthen the mind against anxiety and worry.

Ruby in History & Religion

Ruby has been a sought after gemstone the world over and is frequently mentioned in religious and historical texts! According to Marco Polo, Kublai Khan, the Mongolian Emperor, offered to trade a whole city for a particularly large ruby.

In the Book of Proverbs, it is written “For wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you can desire can compare with her”.

According to Hindu beliefs, rubies are also separated according to caste, with a pure deep red ruby being worn only by the highest "Brahmin" caste, denoting their status. Hindu writings refer to ruby as “lord of the stones”.

The British monarchy is famed for their use of ruby, particularly in coronation rings. Queen Victoria gifted her coronation ring to the Crown, making it a permanent feature of the Crown Jewels. The Imperial State Crown features another famous gemstone, known as the Black Prince Ruby. This gemstone is not actually a ruby, but instead a spinel. Ruby, being the most famous of all red gemstones, has been used as a catch-all term for all red gemstones in the past, with garnet too being mistaken for ruby.

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