Photo: Onyx Mainzerbecken, by Mhrobben, Wikimedia Commons
My father was a complicated man. He had a different face for every situation, few if anybody ever saw them all. He is responsible for my introduction to the world of grit. so much of him remains a mystery, including the only ring he ever wore.
All my life pops wore a gold ring with a square cut deeply black onyx in the center. It intrigued me. What was it, what did it mean? Why did the man who knew well the world of gems choose that one?
The easy answer was he was a Leo. While each month has a birthstone, so does each zodiac sign. Leo is designated as onyx, specifically black onyx.
When I was researching this special stone I found it had an interesting and polarizing history. In the east where it was mined black onyx was considered bad luck; bringing misfortune to anybody who touched it. However, the Roman’s who revered its, refuted such claims and wore onyx jewelry with highest regard for its beauty. Many cultures seemed to agree with the Chinese traders that the stone could bring deep depression and suppression of emotions. But rather than avoiding the unlucky stone many embraced these properties. Onyx in the right hands was the stone of leaders. It helped the wearer to repress pesky emotions and weakening sexual impulses in favor of mental clarity and logic. It was the stone of philosophers and alchemists, gaining popularity very quickly.
In some African countries, onyx acted as ward, protecting the dead on their journey to the underworld. It became a protective symbols for powerful people, for soldiers going to war, and the families they left behind.
A complex stone for a complex man. As a profoundly philosophical being, who preached logic and reason over anything else, the stone fit well. He argued principal all the day long and chose response overreaction. The other side of him was deeply traditional; understanding there was some underlying current running through existence we couldn’t quite grasp. Thus one needed to leave room for the mystical and magical. That onyx ring with the simple gold band was probably his choice because of its simplicity and connection to his birth, and yet even on the deepest levels fit him like a glove.
