Grounded in the methods of broad ethnolinguistics, the article is devoted to the cultural and linguistic image of an amethyst in various European traditions (Greek, French, Russian, etc.). The authors explore the motif of wine and intoxication presented in this image, which is traced over a long time span: it is reflected in the inner form of the word (Greek ἀμέθυστος), confirmed by motivational parallels in various European languages, imprinted in literary texts of different genres and in different languages, as well as in the works of jewelry and of decorative/applied arts. The identification of various ways in which this
mythologem is embodied helps to come to a general conclusion that it is the main characteristic for the image of this gem, as well as to more specific conclusions. Among the latest, there are the motivational reconstruction Rus. (Ural) wineless gem ‘amethyst' (= “the one that helps to avoid drinking wine”), old Rus. baus (bausa) ‘the name of transparent stones of blue and light blue colors' < Bacchus (= “the gemof Bacchus”), cf. French pierre de Bacchus, pierre de Denys, Lat. Dionysia gemma.