Curandero's Mexican Fire Opal

This is one of thirty-four faceted oval fire opal gems recovered from the fourth pyramid of this room which her journals tell us were procured from her longtime friend she names as "Jose, Don Jose, and Don Lucio" over the course of a forty year period that began in 1938.  Her journaled inventory tells us he was known to her in 1938 as Jose, a Yajalon Curandero and Walking Shaman.  He was not the only one of his kind that minerals and gems recovered from this estate were attributed to, often making it difficult to differentiate them as they occupied some of the same timeline's and geographical locations.

In this case, Jose, aka Don Jose, aka Don Lucio is identified through the mention of the sourced opal and the rings she had procured from him.

The 1938 entries concerned a group of opals he had accepted as an offering.  He had vowed to go to their place of origin, the opal mines of Querétaro, Mexico to stock up on this opal.  We assume he was motivated by whatever she paid or traded him.  He is again mentioned in 1949 entries, as now being known as Don Jose, healer and opal trader and a sizable amount of "Don Jose Opal" was recovered from this estate.

According to her entries, he had walked the seven hundred miles from his home in Yajalón to find fortune in Querétaro pursuing his trade as 'Healer, Opal Collector and Trader'.  Don Jose, now known as Don Lucio in 1958, is also now known as 'Granicero Healer, Silversmith, Opal Collector and Trader', which is the time these faceted opals first appear in her inventory.

This was also an obviously successful endeavor as her journals and inventory tell us she had received over one hundred of his stones that year and at least that many and an assortment of his rings over the course of the next twenty-four years culminating in 1982.  Only a small portion of these were all that remained for us to recover from this estate by the time we got there. 

Don Lucio's new title of Granicero, makes him an atmospheric ritualist, or in this particular case, a lightning ritualist, it having been said he had been struck by lightning numerous times in his lifetime.

The Gem, and more commentary...

This being one of the above mentioned thirty-four gems mentioned above, she goes on to provide us with detailed descriptions and histories of their use to which we have added commentary of our own.

Of this sourced opal she writes; "These stones bear an energy that is predisposed for use in magic spells.  They achieve invisibility for us against all malicious magic and are a source of protection in themselves."

"A money draw, it is as if a magnet to draw in wealth.  It is also a healer and a stone of protection.  It can be relied upon to relieve deficiencies of energy while stimulating the libido and adrenal glands."

"He (Don Lucio), afforded cure to his patients suffering from fever, jaundice, indigestion, sore throats, neck swelling, hemorrhoids and depression, but he had won renown for his Susto, Mal puesto and Mal ojo works."

She goes on to describe these, "works" in a number of entries which describe the cause and symptoms of these spells, such as, "Susto is a fright sickness caused by traumatic and frightening experiences often emplaced during the victim's dream state.  Look for insomnia, lethargy, depression, irritability and anxiety as symptoms.  Effective treatment can be affected by covering the head with a Holy Water immersed cloth keeping it moist with periodic sprinkling in addition to spitting alcohol into the patients face unexpectedly and irrigating them internally with herbs".

She writes of, "Mal ojo" as being the evil eye cast by one blessed with the, "strong eye."  Those that admire children without touching them are easily afflicted.  The symptoms here are often diffuse so it is best to attempt cure by passing a fresh laid egg over the patient's entire body before placing it in a bowl under the patient's pillow overnight.  In the morning, if the egg is cooked then treatment for mal de ojo is in order."

She also writes of "Mal puesto" as the use of sorcery to invoke disease.  This is a true hex used by bruja throughout Mexico, Central and South America.  Here the Symptoms vary, as does the cure.  This involves, massage, herbal treatment, prayers and invocational chants performed in conjunction with arm crossing (anointing with oil and chili powder in the sign of the cross) and herbal pepper enemas."

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The story of how Don Lucio, who was once Jose, the Yajalon Curandero, had come into possession of the original opals that had started this fervor was related to her and she made detailed note of it for us, "Given to his father, by his father before him, it had been worn in a gold pendant belonging to a witch who was acting as guide for the Spanish as they made their way north.  This was most likely a trek from Chile in the 16th. century!"

 "In his own words he related, 'they lay in surprise trap for these invaders, falling upon their camp in the early hours of dawn to free them of their lives."

She also notes of his group having numerous, "helms and breastplates taken from this massacre being used as reformed cooking utensils 300 years later by the villagers."

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This Gem

Examination reveals a 11.13 x 7.95 x 3.18 mm, 1.19 ct., faceted oval Mexican Fire Opal gem of fine cut and polish.

The gem displays an intense inner predominantly pale white/yellow/green with some orange fire like play of color when viewed under single sourced light.