Mythology of Opals
Opals, Australia's national gemstone, have been known and admired since the beginning of written history. Considered a semiprecious stone, opals come in a variety of shades and are found and admired all over the world. Their translucent quality allows light to penetrate and create an interplay of colors within the stone. It is this quality that makes opals unique and treasured among gemstones, and which has led to many myths associating opals with the rainbow. Opal is the birthstone for the month of October.
Greek Mythology
Ancient Greek mythology held that opals were the tears of the storm god Zeus, who wept joyfully after defeating his elders, the Titans, for his position as king of the gods. The ancient Greeks believed that wearing opals could bestow a talent for prophecy.
Australian Mythology
Australian aboriginal mythology associates the opal with the Rainbow Serpent, the creator god. In his footsteps, opals formed, and they are thus considered his gifts. Outcroppings of opal have become sacred sites to aboriginal tribes.
Eyesight
In medieval times, opals became associated with the eyes. They were supposed to strengthen eyesight and cure eye ailments. In fact the name "opal" may be derived from the Greek "opthalmios" or "eye stone." Opal was also thought to be able to grant invisibility, and thus became associated with thieves.
Luck and Omens
In the 19th century, opals became a symbol of bad luck and ill fortune, perhaps in part due to the influence of Sir Walter Scott, whose heroine, Anne of Geierstein, wore an enchanted opal in her hair, and who died when holy water touched the ornament. Others suggest that the brittleness of opal meant that it was bad luck for jewelers because it could easily shatter during setting.
Lightning
Arabian folklore had it that opals fell from the sky during lightning strikes, and the flashes of color in the stone were the remnants of lightning. Interestingly, lightning strikes can spontaneously produce glass, which can resemble opals in texture and iridescence. The connection between lightning and opals also hearkens back to the Greek's myth about Zeus' tears: Zeus was the Greek god of lightning.
Purity and Hope
Ancient Romans held the opal in high esteem as a symbol of purity and hope. They called the jewel "cupid paederos," or "child of love." The Greek poet Onomacritus wrote, "The delicate colors and tenderness of opal remind me of a loving and beautiful child." Opals were believed to ward off sickness and to warn of poison by turning pale in its presence.
Blonde Hair
One final curious bit of medieval opal lore is that the gemstone was recommended to blondes to wear in order to preserve the color of their hair.
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