Rose Quartz Crystal Family Rose Quartz is part of the Quartz family. The difference between amethyst and rose quartz is the minerals that create the colour, in Rose quartz's case it is manganese or titanium, that creates its beautiful pink hue. It is formed in Crystalline masses or very rarely hexagonal crystals. Depending on the amount of manganese or titanium in the quartz, rose quartz ranges from a light pink to a medium pink. It is found in South Africa, United States, Brazil, Japan, India, Madagascar, Sri Lanka, Namibia, USSR and Spain. Its chemical composition is SiO2 which is silicon and oxygen and has a trace of manganese. It is usually translucent or opaque, though rarely transparent. It is formed in large pegmatites and veins in watery conditions for a long period of time. The forms is takes is in tumblestones or rough unpolished pieces (if larger) Clusters are rare and single points are extremely rare. Star asterism in some of the rose quartz can occur. The Mohs scale hardness for Rose quartz is 7 like most of the quartz family. This means it can be used in all forms from jewellery to tumbles to being cut into towers. Rose quartz can be cleansed in all ways except the sunshine as it can fade in colour.
History and Mythology Its name derives from the French word for pink 'Rose'.
Rose Quartz has a long history, as it has been known to be used since 7000BC! It has always been associated with love and fertility.
Mesopotamians and Assyrians The earliest it has been used is in 7000BC where rose quartz beads have been found in Mesopotamia, clearly used as jewellery. The Assyrians used it between 800BC -600BC for jewellery.
Picture is from the British museum collection site 2nd-4th century rose quartz beads from Afghanistan (See Bibliography for webpage!) Ancient Egyptians
The Ancient Egyptians believed that Rose quartz could help reduce ageing and wrinkles. This is due to their myth that Isis (goddess of fertility, love, magic and women) used the crystal as an anti-ageing tool herself. There have been finds of rose quartz facial mummy masks in tombs - probably to keep the owner youthful in the afterlife.
Ancient Greeks The Ancient Greeks involved many of the Quartz family into their myths and legends to explain the presence of this 'Krustellos' or Ice as it is translated. Rose Quartz has 2 variations of Greek myths and legends associated with it. The first is associated with Aphrodite and her lover Adonis. Adonis was attacked by the God Ares (a rival for Aphrodite's affections) who was in the form of a Wild Boar. Aphrodite tried to save Adonis, however she got tangled up in a Briar bush that cut her. The mix of Adonis' and Aphrodite’s blood stained the nearby quartz pink. Hence the stone's association with love came about as in the end of the story Zeus feels sorry for them and brought Adonis back 6 months of the year. The other Greek myth associated with this stone concerns another couple of love gods, Cupid and Eros. They are believed to have brought rose quartz to man to incite love and desire among mankind. Ancient Romans The ancient Romans also believed that it prevented ageing but also use it as a sign of ownership via ring seals. Archaeologists have found lots of rose quartz cameos, rings and bracelets.
Hinduism
Hindu healers loved this stone, saying that it was the 'stone of forgiveness'. They believed that it brought about conciliation to anyone who carried it. They also believed that appreciating Rose quartz was a early step to understanding revenge, jealousy, envy and greed and choosing compassion instead.
Far East Not just the Western world was this used, in the ancient Tibetan and Chinese cultures, rose quartz was a great symbol of love since 6000BC and was given symbolically as a gift. In the Far East there was a legend that the Sun, when he woke in the morning fell in love with the beauty of a newborn princess who was bright blue. The Sun gave her the gift of heat and light so she would live in peace and harmony and remember the Sun was her friend. The Sun then created rose quartz and gave it to the princess who became the Earth mother Gaia, who gave rose quartz to Humans. Medieval Times
In medieval times, it was believed that rose quartz had great healing properties and was put in a variety of healing and love potions. It was used to make jewellery and was used to decorate St. Wenceslas Chapel in Prague! Victorians
In Victorian times, Rose quartz was used in jewellery and other items, as it was associated for remembrance in prayer - maybe a precursor of our crystal healing connection with it for the fact it can help a grieving heart.
Crystal Healing Nowadays, Rose quartz is still used in jewellery, tumblestones and towers, and mainly given as gifts of love and has been labelled the stone of love due to its crystal healing properties.
Not only is great for improving family relationships but can help relationships with partners. It is a well-known crystal healing tool to place in the corner of a bedroom to help boost and keep a relationship fresh and vibrate.
You can use it as a elixir as you can immerse in alcohol and put it into teas and infusions. It also is known as the stone of self-love as it helps to give you the confidence and strength to love yourself. It also helps you to forgive yourself and trust in the fact that you are worthy of that love and the love of others. Carrying it around on your heart chakra or on your person helps with this. If you are not in a loving relationship, rose quartz helps to attract that love, or if you have a broken heart to help you mend it. As previously stated in the history of rose quartz, it can be used if your are grieving to help you mend and love again. It benefits people who are stressed or anxious, as it calms this anxiety and gets rid of negativity due to its colour and is best to wear it for this purpose. Rose quartz also replaces this negative energy with positive energy. This use is great for anyone who has had negative childhood or past experiences as it brings out the emotions but in a positive way.
It calms anger as it is believed to dissipate when you are in the presence of this crystal.
It is also known as a stone of the great mother since it can connect you to earth and universe via the heart of the earth and your personal heart. It connects well with all other stones to help aid.
Physically, Rose quartz can aid:
⦁ the heart
⦁ circulatory system
⦁ cleans body fluids
⦁ the lungs
⦁ kidneys
⦁ adrenals
⦁ vertigo
⦁ fertility
⦁ burns
⦁ blisters
⦁ The complexion (you can place rose quartz in your bath to help this)
⦁ Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Dementia
⦁ Varicose veins
⦁ general aches and pains
⦁ Protects against environmental pollution
⦁ helps detox
⦁ against trauma or injury
⦁ menstrual cycle
⦁ spleen
⦁ asthma
Chakra
The heart and circulatory system are aided by rose quartz due to it being a heart chakra stone, to be more precise it is for the higher heart chakra. The heart chakra helps to love yourself and aid in love as well. It also can be used on other chakras to help give love energy to them.
Zodiac Astrologically it is associated with Taurus and Libra. It is also the birthstone of January as well as been associated with the 5th Wedding anniversary. So I hope this helps give you some more information about the beautiful, delicate and amazing Rose Quartz!
Bibliography https://www.geriwalton.com/victorian-birthstones-and-their/ https://www.gia.edu/rose-quartz-history-lore The Little Pocket book of Crystal Tips and Cures, Philip Permutt 2015 The Crystal Bible, Judy Hall, 2009 Crystals, The Modern guide to crystal healing, Yulia Van Doren The Crystal healer, Philip Permutt, 2007 Crystal Prescriptions, Judy Hall, 2005 Sacred Crystals, Hazel Raven, 2017 Crystal healing, Judy Hall 2005 Crystal Power, Crystal healing: The Complete Handbook, Michael Gienger, 1998 The pocket book of stones, Robert Simmons, 2015 Crystal Power: Mythology and History, Andreas Guhr and Jorg Nagler, 2006 http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=3548543&partId=1&searchText=rose+quartz&page=1