Indian rune set in a pouch — Amethyst

A purple quartz whose shade runs from pale mauve to deep violet, often stronger at the tip of the crystal than at its base.

Twenty-five stones engraved with the elder futhark, presented in their fabric pouch; the characters are carved and then picked out.

In tradition. The stone of temperance for the Greeks — its name means "not intoxicated" — it has been credited since antiquity with calming the mind and clearing judgment. Crystal healing associates it with the third eye chakra.

Use & care. Drawn blind, hand in the pouch, one to three depending on the question asked. Keep them in the pouch: the stones scratch each other if left loose.

• Its color comes from traces of iron in the quartz, revealed by the natural radioactivity of the surrounding rock.
• A natural piece: shade, veining and dimensions vary from one example to the next

A decorative object for personal practice. It is no substitute for medical advice or treatment.