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Pearls have been attributed
great powers and incorporated into the mythology of virtually every
culture which has encountered them. And no wonder! Given
natural pearls' rarity, as
well as their mysterious beauty, who could argue that pearls might not
indeed be a gift from the gods?
In Hindu culture, pearls were
associated with the Moon and were symbols of love and purity. Hindu
texts say that Krishna discovered the first pearl, which he presented
to his daughter on her wedding day.
Islamic tradition holds pearls
in even higher regard. The Koran speaks of pearls as one of the great
rewards found in Paradise, and the gem itself has become a symbol of
perfection.
Christianity also adopted the
pearl as a symbol of purity.
Many of these ideas have come
down to us in pearl lore and legend, and persist even today. For
example, pearls are often associated with brides and weddings -- a
concept possibly dating all the way back to Krishna and the wedding of
his daughter. Pearls are also said to symbolize tears, to provide love
and fertility, to symbolize purity, and to ward off evil.
In addition -- and perhaps
deriving from their mythological significance -- pearls have often
been attributed
medicinal qualities and
used to treat a wide variety of physical ailments.
The
colors of pearls also have
sometimes been associated with certain qualities: black or gold with
wealth, blue with love, pink with success.
...read more
about Caring for your Pearls
Information
obtained from www.Pearl-Guide.com
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