Many ancient civilizations have attributed magical power to crystals. The Ancient Greek civilization first named the mineral crystallos meaning �clear ice.� They thought that the object was simply a type of ice that didn�t melt. Ancient Egyptians used quartz crystals to symbolize eternity and would place a small stone between the eyes of a mummy to act as a �third eye� that would help guide them in their journey to the afterlife. The clear, reflective surface of the crystal has also inspired its use in divination and �scrying.� Many cultures believed that the crystal acted as a window into the future and provided images of what what�s to come. Crystal balls are still used by modern-day psychics to tell the future. Fortune-tellers pose questions to the ball and interpret the images they see to provide answers to those questions. Crystals were also thought to contain and emit special energy that could heal and again, they are still used today in alternative medicine practices as �healing stones� and good luck charms. The new age movement suggest using crystals in jewelry in order to ward off evil and bring good fortune to one�s life. They even claim that if you stick a crystal under your pillow at night it will help you sleep and keep the nightmares away.
Skeptical Perspective
The mathematical properties of crystals are impressive. Many of the patterns they form in nature are symmetrical and this type of structure can look �perfect� when compared with other rocks and minerals found in nature. The light that is reflected through a crystal has a similar �perfection� in its regularity and geometric form. The stability and consistent repetition of vibrations and the piezoelectricity that is emitted by the vibrating atoms also evoke ooos and awes that before science, were explained away be reference to magic and supernatural forces. The precision made possible through the structure of crystals has afforded great advancements in our technology after we took the time to solve the mystery and find a natural explanation for crystals. We use crystals to keep time, for tools that require hard and durable characteristics and much more. None of this would have been possible had we simply accepted a mysterious and unknowable phenomenon. Crystals are natural objects and there are many experiments that can be performed to see how they grow in nature � all by themselves. The magical properties that have been attached to crystals through the ages are simply a result of the beauty and �perfection� that is seen in the eye of the beholder. Crystals make attractive jewelry, beautiful art and decorative objects, useful technologies and products but there are no supernatural powers to be found in the crystal.
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