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Book VI gems: diamond, emeralds, sapphire, topaz, chrysoberyl, carbuncle, jaspis

Book VI gems: diamond, emeralds, sapphire, topaz, chrysoberyl, carbuncle, jaspis Page of 251 Book VI gems: diamond, emeralds, sapphire, topaz, chrysoberyl, carbuncle, jaspis Text size:minus plus Restore normal size   Mail page  Print this page
BOOK VI
121
darker. It is found in the mines of Misena and Bohemia and in many-quartz localities. According to Horus it occurs in Persia and is much harder than our mineral, in fact, by comparison, our mineral is soft and fragile. Horus writes that it is a remedy for mongoose bite when burned and pulverized. Quartz that does not have an angular form will not throw a rainbow on a nearby wall but does throw a similar group of colors. This is sufficient concerning quartz and iris.9
Nature sometimes produces a gem from the same essence as that of quartz but with more than six angles and for that reason it is called pangonius by the Greeks (from ταν, all, ywvia, angle). This mineral is rarely found in the same places as quartz but when it is, it has the same color and transparency but is smoother. When found by itself it is usually dark and full of small pits like a honeycomb. Crystals having twelve sides and terminated with a point, like quartz, are found along the Aller and Ochus rivers. Pliny writes that it is never found longer than three-quarters of an inch but some are found longer than this, although they are usually shorter.
Diamond is formed from an essence not dissimilar to that of quartz but having been congealed by a more intense cold. It takes its name, adamas, from the fact that it cannot be affected by either iron or fire. It is also called anachites because it sets one free from idle fears by its constant sparkle according to the belief of some. It forms in mines in Ethiopia, India, Arabia, Macedonia and Cyprus. It is found with gold between the temple of Mercury and the Island of Meroe, Ethiopia. The Arabian stones are found with the very purest gold; the Macedonian stones, at Philippi. The Cyprian stones are found in copper mines while the Indian stones are found unassociated with other minerals. The color of both the Ethio­pian and Macedonian crystals is similar to cucumber seeds; the Indian, colorless; the Arabian, tinted; the Cyprian, inclined toward brass-yellow. The Indian stones are the most transparent. Diamonds that have the same luster as iron are called siderites. Pliny does not mention the place where these occur.
The Indian stones are sometimes found the size of a hazelnut; the Ara­bian diamonds are smaller; the Ethiopian and Macedonian no larger than a cucumber seed. A stone no larger than a millet seed is called cenchros. Diamond often has the same color and smoothness as quartz. It is often found in colorless hexagonal crystals that terminate in a point. Accord­ing to Pliny the Indian stones are sometimes found having the appearance of two cones joined together at their bases. They may be perfectly smooth.
9 Agricola distinguishes between crystals of quartz, crystallus, and massive crys­talline quartzose rocks, quarzum. It is rather unusual that no mention of the name quarzum is made in this work since he wrote as follows in Bermannus in 1529.
Ancon. "I see several kinds of rocks here.
Bermannus. "A large number. . . . Another genus is this one which is seen to be transparent at times, at times very white, light yellow or bluish gray. Our people call it quarzum."
Book VI gems: diamond, emeralds, sapphire, topaz, chrysoberyl, carbuncle, jaspis Page of 251 Book VI gems: diamond, emeralds, sapphire, topaz, chrysoberyl, carbuncle, jaspis
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