Combining three of the most precious materials known to man, this lovely amulet was intended to bring luck and blessings upon the wearer. A member of the corundum family, sapphire is one of the four gems deemed "precious" today. The finest such stones came from India, Burma, Thailand and other parts of the east. Very likely, this particular gem traveled to Afghanistan from India during the Moghul period. Since antiquity, the sapphire has enjoyed the reputation of a magic stone of immense and all-encompassing power, capable of warding off every kind of pestilence and contagious disease. The sapphire is also reputed to bring good fortune to its owner and to promote wisdom and clarity of mind. Surely the individual intelligent enough to acquire this lovely amulet will enjoy all of those qualities.