The gemstone representing May, is the Emerald. As spring in the northern hemisphere occurs in May, the emerald stands for a time of rebirth and growth. The French refer to the emerald’s inclusions and fractures as “jardin’s”, translated as garden, resembling the color of spring foliage.

For each stone of the Gregorian calendar, each month of the year brings in a new cycle. Each cycle represents a new season, has a renewed energy, and a new meaning. The month of May is one of abundance and life in it’s youthful beauty. Following the rainy month of April, the month of May is one that symbolizes fresh, new, green life. The emerald as a precious stone for the month of May. Beautiful, fertile valleys blessed with rain are symbolic of the Emerald in that both offer energy both in a spiritual and physical sense giving sustenance for one who might own an Emerald and for those living within the valleys.

The emerald has been a symbol since the Egyptians engraved the stone with pictures of foliage. It would then be gifted to their deceased loved ones for their burials to represent eternal youth. It is the Egyptians who mined emeralds in the desert to the east over two-thousand years before the birth of Cleopatra. During her reign, this was her favorite stone, and even claimed one of the emerald mines as her own. She would bestow an emerald to a visiting dignitary on their departure. When the Spanish Conquistadors arrived in South America, they noticed that the natives were wearing some of the largest emeralds they had ever seen. They attempted to hide the mines from the Conquistadors, but were unsuccessful. Today, that area is known as Columbia, where some of the most prize emeralds are unearthed. There are sources of emeralds that have been found in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Brazil, Zimbabwe, and Russia.

The Romans regarded the emerald representative to the goddess of love, Venus. They wore the gem to honor Aphrodite, their adopted goddess of love for fertility, beauty and love. Their emperor, Nero had eyeglasses that were made of emerald so that he might watch the gladiators battle and maintain his eyes’ health, and to ease the strain upon his eyes.

These crystals grow slowly within the confines of metamorphic rock, making them rare and thus, very valuable and expensive, sometimes more so than diamonds. It represents wisdom, patience and growth. It often given as an anniversary gift, as these characteristics in a relationship are important. It also represents friendship, faithfulness and loyalty, and they have been utilized for the effective treatment of health issues related to fertility, eyes, spine and for headaches. The Emerald can prevent seizures, reduce fevers and stop bleeding.

Some other interesting facts about the May Birthstone Emerald:

-Mostly all Emeralds have been treated with an epoxy resin or oil to fill in surface cracks making them less visible

-Some of the oils used to treat Emeralds are clear, however, some are tinted green in order to make them appear more vivid

-Mummies were buried with emeralds

-It is often times worn by travelers for luck and has legends of calming stormy seas

Other symbols of May

May Birth Flower:

Lily of the Valley and the Hawthorn. Hawthorns flower in May and symbolizes the return of spring and summer. Maypoles were constructed of hawthorn.

May Birth Tree:

Ash, Popular, and Chestnut

Famous People born in May:

Fred Astaire- May 10, 1899

Mr. T- May 21, 1943

Bing Crosby- May 2, 1903

Tina Fey- May 18, 1970

Audrey Hepburn- May 4, 1929

Candice Bergen- May 9, 1946

Anne Heche- May 25, 1969

Cate Blanchet- May 14, 1969

See more at: http://birthstonesbymonths.net/may-birthstone-emerald/#sthash.VNnsHCVq.dpuf