Happy Birthday, August! The August birthstone is peridot.

Peridot get its name from the Arabic word “faridat,” meaning gem. In ancient Egypt, peridot was called “gem of the sun” for their dazzling brilliance.

Peridot is a mineral known as olivine, and can be found in various shades of green ranging from a light yellow-green to a deep olive hue. The earliest known mining for peridot occurred on Saint John’s Island (near Egypt) around 1500 B.C. Today, peridot is mined in Arizona, Australia, Brazil, Burma, the Congo, Hawaii, and Norway.

A birthstone is associated with each month, such as the August birthstone is peridot.

Legends and myths talk about the healing powers of birthstones. The most common of these says that wearing a gemstone during its assigned month amplifies its healing powers.

Today, birthstones correlating to the month in which you were born are popular gift items.