Peridot was very popular with the Romans who called it the 'evening stone' because they thought that its green colour did not darken at night and remained visible by lamp light. Large peridots, some weighing up to 200 carats, decorate the shrine at the Cologne Cathedral. Hawaiians worship peridot because their legend describes it as the divine tears wept by Pele, the goddess of the volcano. If you have been to Hawaii, you may have noticed that the sand on the beaches of the island of Oahu has a greenish tinge because it contains grains of olivine. However, these grains are too small to cut in peridot gemstones.
Peridot has a mention in the Bible under Hebrew name 'pitdah'.
It is also reported to be present in the fabled breast plate of the Jewish high priest Aaron. The Bible also describes an impressive peridot worn by king Esekiel. It is surprising that peridot has not been known to the Indians. There is no reference to peridot in any of the Indian books, both ancient and modern. Even the Indian astrological books do not include peridot as one of the useful gemstones.