AUGUST BIRTHSTONES

August is the eighth month of the year in the Julian calendar and the sixth month of the Roman calendar. The Romans called the month Sextilis, which means sixth. In 8 BC the name of the month was changed to Augustus in honour of the Roman Emperor Augustus Caesar, because many of the important events in his life happened around that time of year.

In the neopagan Wheel of the Year, 1st August is the festival of Lammas (or Lughnasadh) in the Northern Hemisphere. The name comes from an Anglo-Saxon word Hlafmaesse which means Loaf Mass. The festival of Lammas marks the beginning of the harvest, when people give thanks for the first corn to be cut. It is the turning point in Mother Earth’s year - a time for harvesting and abundance. This is a time of growth and change and a time for introspection. Its theme is transformation through suffering and sacrifice. This is also one of the most auspicious times for Handfasting (the other being Beltane).

Traditional birthstone: Peridot
Modern birthstones: Carnelian, Jade, Jasper