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/gemstones/agricola_textbook_of_mineralogy/page_148 - 2
 

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
136
DE NATURA FOSSILIUM
and the color of the stones of the third species approaches the color of this same gem. The stones the younger writers call granatus and the older writers carchedonius have a darker appearance, especially those found among the Garamantes and Nasamones and in Syrtis Major and brought to Carthage for sale. Another and darker variety is that called almandinus and at times alabandicus, the former a corruption of the name Alabanda because these stones were polished at one time in the city of Alabanda although they came from a cliff in Orthosia. Some of these gems are part white, part red and with white spots scattered through the red. The older writers called these troezenius, the younger writers amandinusP The first and second species come from India and Misena; the third from Egypt; the fourth from Ethiopia, Bohemia, Lygius, Syrtis Major, and from among the Nasamones and Garamantes; the fifth from Caria, Thrace, Chios and Arcadia, the darkest ones coming from Chios; the sixth from Troezen and Corinth, the lightest ones coming from Troezen. I believe that different species of carbunculus can be found in one and the same region.
These gems differ in brilliancy just as they differ in color. The amethys-tizon and spinettus have a bright, clear, flaming red luster; the candidus a more liquid luster; the carchedonius and alabandicus a darker luster. Several of these have a tinge of blue such as those from India called lithizon. Even within a single species some stones are better colored than others and these are called masculine while the duller stones are called feminine. According to Satyrus the Ethiopian stones do not give off a clear light but rather glow like the wavering light of a fire. Stars glow within the masculine carchedonius while the feminine stones give off a brilliancy entirely outside themselves. This is true of the alabandicus. Thus these stones differ, one from the other, since the color of each species of carbunculus may be deeper or lighter and the brilliancy brighter or weaker.
The gems called amethystizon are the most highly prized today as in former times because the clear flame-red is superior to all others. How­ever, if the spinellus were large they would compare favorably with the best but they are so small that they are usually classed among the least valuable. The candidus stone holds second place because the limpid luster is more pleasing than that of the darker stones. The carchedonius comes third because the flaming red color is not as dark as that of the alabandicus. The older writers placed carchedonius second since some of the gems of this species have a gleaming feather-like brilliancy such as those called syrtites, having been named for Syrtis Major where they are found.38
the Phrygian name for a certain fiery stone, ballen; the seventh edition of Dana offers the possible derivation from Balakhsh, a district of Ceylon where the spinel is found. Bauer and Spencer state that the present district of Badakshan was known as Balascia in the time of Marco Polo and believe the name to be derived from this.
37  This is probably a typographic error and should be almandinus (almandite).
38 Agricola includes spinel and garnet under carbunculus and suprisingly enough
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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