Peridot throughout the ages has been associated with superstition.  Perhaps this is because the gemstone is born of fire.   Peridot crystals are often found in the rocks created by volcanoes.  They have also been found in meteorites that have fallen to earth.  Some gems have even been cut from these extraterrestrial crystals.

Peridot was mined as early as 1300 B.C. on St. John's Island (also called Zebirget) in the Red Sea.  During that time, though, the island was known as Topazios, and the green gems were incorrectly called 'Topaz'.  The Egyptian kings favored these gems, which were often mined under very harsh conditions.  The mine was ravaged by pirates of the area, but it was lost for centuries as the location is shrouded in perpetual fog.  It was rediscovered in the 1900s. 

The Romans called Peridot 'evening emerald'.  Peridot was used as a decorative gem for many medieval churches with a 200 carat gem adorning the shrine of the Three Maji at the Cologne Cathedral.

Peridot has been connected to superstition throughout the ages.  Associated with the sun, Peridot is believed to have the power to break evil spells and dispel the mysteries of the dark.  During the Middle Ages people wore Peridot to gain foresight and divine inspiration.

Peridot is also treasured in Hawaii as the goddess Pele's tears.  Most of the Peridot sold in Hawaii is from mines in Arizona on the San Carlos Indian Reservation.  Peridot is also found in exquisite large crystals in Myanmar (Burma), China, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan.

Peridot is the birthstone for August.