SARDONYX—SUCCINITE
SARDONYX: SCHORL: SELENITE: COMPARISONS BY MARBODUS AND MALPLEAT:
PLINY’S ACCOUNT: ANCIENT USE OF SELENITE: USED IN THE PALACE AT
PEKIN: DR. JOHN GOAD AND THE SELENITE OF POPE CLEMENT VIII: SELENITE
AMONGST THE GREEKS: TREVISA’S NARRATIVE: SELENITES OR LUNARY MEN: A
LOVE ATTRACTOR: A CURIOUS TALISMAN: SELENITE AND PEARLS: SERPENTINE
OR HYDRINUS: IDENTIFIED WITH THE TARSHISH STONE: THE OPHITE STONE OF
DIOSCORIDES AND PLINY: AGRICOLA KNOWS IT AS LAPIS SERPENTIUS: THE
RANOCHIA OF ITALIAN ARTISTS: A CURE FOR RHEUMATIC AFFECTIONS, ETC.:
USED BY THE ANCIENTS FOR FASHIONING ORNAMENTS AND CHARMS: A TALISMAN
OF CAPRICORN: USED IN THE MAKING OF SCARABS AND CYLINDERS: SOAPSTONE
OR STEATITE: ITS EXTENSIVE USE IN ANCIENT EGYPT: PINITE: THE
AGALMATOLITE OR PAGODITE CALLED BY THE CHINESE HAO-CHI: LUCKY
FIGURES AND EMBLEMS: A SAVAGE FOOD: SPHENE OR TITANITE SPINEL OR
BALAS RUBY: VARIETIES: PHENOMENA OF THE SPINEL: ALBERTUS MAGNUS:
ANDREA BACCI: THE PALACE OF THE RUBY: MARCO POLO’S STORY: LAL RUMANI
OF THE INDIANS: THE KING OF OUDE’S SPECIMEN: THE LAL-I-JALADI: THE
BLACK PRINCE’S RUBY AND ITS STORY: SIR JAMES MELVILLE AND QUEEN
ELIZABETH’S “FAIR, GREAT RUBY”: LOVE OF QUEEN ELIZABETH FOR SPINELS:
ROBERT DE BERQUEN AT THE COURT OF THE KING OF PERSIA: SPINELS AND
CORUNDUMS IN RIVER GRAVELS: ELIANUS AND THE STORY OF THE STORK: ITS
SYMBOLIC IMPORT: AN ANCIENT MEDICAL CUSTOM: A HEALTH STONE: A GARDEN
CHARM: SPODUMENE: HIDDENITE: KUNZITE: RADIUM INFLUENCE ON SPODUMENE
AND KUNZITE: SUCCINITE.
SARDONYX. (See ONYX.)
SCHORL. (See TOURMALINE.)
SELENITE
“_This stone, a remedy for human ills,
Springs, as they tell, from famous Persia’s hills._”
MARBODUS.
The word SELENITE is derived from the Greek SELENE, the moon, and is
found also written as silenite, silonite, silenitis. The stone which is
a crystallized variety of gypsum is in pearly white, green, yellow and
gray colours. Marbodus compares it with soft grass or verdant jasper,
and Malpleat, in 1567, says it is like a fresh and flourishing green
herb. The moon-like lustres whether in pearl-white or light green are
the most esteemed, and Pliny writes that it is frequently employed in
the construction of beehives to enable the curious to watch the little
insects at their wonderful work. The ancients employed it in much the
same way as we do glass, and it formed an item of considerable trade
importance between Rome, Spain, Cyprus, Africa, Cappadocia and other
parts of the ancient world. Slightly coarser varieties were used by
Tiberius to cover his hot-houses, for it is susceptible of being split
into comparatively thin sheets. A finer variety of very great value was
at one time to be seen in the palace at Pekin. Dr. John Goad, who wrote
the Astro-Meteorologia, a book on the natures and influences of the
celestial bodies, mentions the Selenite which Pope Clement VIII had
amongst his treasures. It was a natural moon dial, of which Cocheram
said in 1623, “it decreaseth and encreaseth as the moon groweth.” This
Dr. Goad was a famous scholar who, wrote Cooper, “gained a reputation
for his astrological knowledge founded on reason and experiment.” The
Greeks called the stone Selenitis Lithos, because they said it waxed and
waned with the moon, a belief quaintly expressed by Trevisa in 1398 as
follows: “Selenites is a stone of Perse, grene as grasse. It shineth
with a white specke and foloweth the moon and waxyth and waneth as the
moon doeth.” Some old stories tell of a belief that little Moon men
which Howell, a 17th century writer, calls “Selenites or Lunary Men,”
flung these stones deep in the earth. The Selenite was regarded as a
love attractor and a stone to restore harmony between quarrelsome
lovers. If engraved with a figure of Diana with bow and arrow when the
moon was passing through the 3rd, 16th and 17th degrees of Cancer it
increased, say old writers, the power of imagination and helped the
wearer to realize future movements. If the Selenite be burned and
carefully powdered it is said to be of great use in cleaning pearls
(which also are moon-ruled according to astrology). The Selenite is
under the sign Cancer like the moonstone, with which it is frequently
confounded.
SERPENTINE OR HYDRINUS
The name Serpentine appears at different periods as serpentyn,
serpentyne, sarpentene, sarpentin, scharpentyn. It is derived from the
Latin SERPENS, and its more ancient term HYDRINUS indicates exactly the
Sea Serpent family (Hydridæ), so well known to ancient and modern
writers. Precious serpentine is translucent—or about so—and of a rich
oily green colour. Common serpentine is opaque. The precious serpentine
is called “noble,” the impure “common.” The colours are dark oily green,
light green, olive green, black green, brown yellow, green yellow,
sometimes almost white. The Serpentine is identified with the Tarshish
stone, the 10th stone of the High Priest’s Breastplate. It was known as
“Ophite Stone” by Dioscorides and Pliny, and Agricola writing in the 16
th century calls it “Lapis Serpentinus.” Other writers called it
“Serpentinum,” hence the modern name “Serpentine.” In Italy, especially
amongst artists, some specimens of the stone are known as “Ranochia,”
because of its similarity to a frog’s skin.
It was recommended of old as a cure for rheumatism and rheumatic pains
in the limbs, and for that purpose specimens were carried on the body
next the skin, attached to the arms or legs. It was believed to cure
dropsy and all moist complaints, especially if the sufferer held a
specimen in each hand whilst resting in the sunlight. The wearer was
also warned not to overdo this sun-bathing with Serpentine in his hands
because of its affinity with all natural bodily fluids. It was said to
be a charm against serpent bites or stings and to scare away poisonous
insects and reptiles of the sea and land. Serpentine was much esteemed
by the ancients for its healing virtues and peculiar beauty. They
effectively employed it in the manufacture of vases, pillars, boxes,
etc., and for the making of special charms and talismans. The figure of
a goat with a fish’s tail cut on a serpentine when the moon, well
aspected, was passing through the 3rd and 4th degrees of the sign
Capricorn, was a charm against rheumatism, skin troubles, gout, stiff
limbs, accidents to the limbs, falls or hurts.
The Serpentine was largely used by the ancient Egyptians in the making
of sacred scarabs, and the Persians favoured it especially for shaping
into cylinders of authority, one of which is described by Mr. C. W.
King, as follows:
“A King contending with two andro-sphinxes, Ormuzd hovering above on the
Tree of Life”—a very symbolic cylinder.
The Serpentine or Hydrinus is under the celestial Capricorn.
SOAPSTONE OR STEATITE
Steatite derives its name from the Greek word STEAR, fat, which well
describes the greasy feel of this soft magnesian rock—a massive variety
of talc. It was extensively used by the ancient Egyptians who cut it
into scarabs which in many cases they first burnt and then coated with a
vitreous blue or green glaze. The substance is extremely soft and can
easily be cut with a knife. Soapstone figures are cut from a variety
known as PINITE—the Agalmatolite or Pagodite of China, called by them
Hoa-chi. Many of these are very beautifully cut, a number being lucky
figures presented in the guise of gods and goddesses, flowers, fruits,
etc. This custom reminds of the “Household gods” of the ancients. A kind
of soft steatite earth is still eaten by the savages of New Caledonia
and other places.
All varieties of Steatite are under the zodiacal Taurus.
SPHENE OR TITANITE
Sphene derives its name from the Greek SPHEN, a wedge. As the name
indicates the form of the crystals is wedge-shaped. The lustre is very
brilliant but the stone is scarcely as hard as the opal and therefore is
little used in jewellery.
Sphene is under the zodiacal Sagittarius.
SPINEL OR BALAS RUBY
Spinel, which derives its name from the Greek word SPINOS, a spark, is
found written in a variety of ways, chief amongst which are spinell,
spinele, spinel. Its colours are red, brown, green, yellow and blue. The
red varieties are clear and glittering and the dark generally more dense
or opaque.
The name Spinel is applied to those of bright red colour
The name Balas is applied to those of rose red
The name Rubicelle is applied to those of orange red
The name Almandine Ruby is applied to those of violet
The name Chloro Spinel is applied to those of green
The name Ceylonite or Pleonaste is applied to those of black
The name Sapphirine is applied to those of blue
Spinel and Balas are often intermixed and both terms are accepted as
denoting this Aluminate of Magnesium, whose hardness is just a little
inferior to the Corundum and whose crystalline form is isometric, like
the diamond. The spinel, however, is non-electric, no matter if
submitted to heat or friction, whilst the ruby (Corundum), and garnet
are highly so. Hence it is not a difficult matter to distinguish these
stones from each other even if their outward similarities tend to
confuse the eye. The spinel, submitted to trial by heat, first changes
from red to brown; if left to cool it becomes dark; then it changes to
green; then, as if exhausted, it seems to lose its colour which,
however, slowly reappears in its red expression.
The word BALAS has been written as balace, baless, balays, balais,
balass. It is derived from the Arabic BALAKHSH which, says Albertus
Magnus, is the female of the real ruby “and some say it is his house.”
That prolific writer on precious stones, Andrea Bacci (16th and 17th
centuries), echoes older thought also when he writes that “Balas is
derived from PALATIUS, a palace, which is the palace where the ruby
lives.” He echoes the symbolic ideas of the old Greek writers who said
that the true ruby resided in a palace—clearly showing that they knew
the difference between rubies and spinels. Marco Polo’s remarks are as
follows: “In this Provence (Badachschan), those fine and valuable gems
the Balas rubies are found. They are got in certain rocks among the
mountains and in the search for them the people dig great caves beneath
the earth just as is done by miners for silver. There is but one special
mountain that produces them and it is called Syghinan. The stones are
dug on the King’s account and no one else dares dig on pain of death as
well as of seizure of worldly possessions, nor may any take the gems out
of the Kingdom. The King collects them all and sends them to other kings
as tribute or as presents. He so acts in order to keep the Balas at a
great value for if he allowed all persons to mine for them the world
would be filled with them and they would be valueless.” In Persia there
is a story which tells that they were found in a destroyed mountain
after an earthquake. The Indians know the stone as the “Pomegranate
Ruby” (Lal Rumani), and the King of Oude is said to have had a
remarkable and beautiful specimen as big as the egg of a pigeon, which
was known as “Lal-i-jaladi.” The beautiful heart-shaped Balass which is
set in the British Crown under the Black Cross known as the “Black
Prince’s Ruby,” is said to have been obtained in Spain by Prince Edward
when he was aiding Don Pedro of Castillo to hold his throne. It is
reported that this was the gem worn by King Henry V at the Battle of
Agincourt. This may have been the “fair great ruby” which Sir James
Melville says Queen Elizabeth valued so highly. Elizabeth was very fond
of spinels of which she possessed some splendid specimens, as shown in
the still extant inventories of the personal effects of the Queen. An
inspection of her nativity will show that they were gems of good omen
for her. Madame de Barrera gives an extract from Robert de Berquen’s
“Merveilles des Indes Orientales et Occidentales” wherein it is stated
that “Josephus Barbaro, a Venetian gentleman, says in a report made to
the Signori of Venice that when he was ambassador for the Republic at
the court of Yussum Cassan, King of Persia, on a certain day of the year
1472 when he was received in solemn audience, that prince showed him a
handkerchief filled with the rarest and most inestimable precious
stones. Among others there was a table-cut Balass ruby, of a beautiful
shape, of at least a finger’s breadth, weighing two ounces and a half,
and of a most peerless colour: in fact, it was a most perfect paragon,
so exquisite that when the King asked what he valued it at, he replied
that he thought a city or even a kingdom would scarcely pay for it.”
Spinels and corundum are always found together, and Dr. G. F. H. Smith
comments on the fact that although harder stones, rubies in the river
gravels are usually waterworn whilst spinels are found in perfect
crystals. The ancient Zoologist Elianus repeats an old story that a
stork brought a spinel as a present to the woman-nurse Heraclis for
healing his wounded leg. Here again it is necessary to look beneath the
fable for true understanding of it. The stork is one of the birds of
Jupiter and its legs are astrologically under the zodiacal Sagittarius
(the house or mansion of Jupiter). The woman symbolizes the moon and in
her name the afternoon sun is concealed. The nurse is under Virgo, the
sign to which the Spinel is attached. The 4 toes of the stork symbolize
the negative or afternoon sun, the 3 front toes webbed to the first
joint, Jupiter. Again, the stork has no voice and tells no secrets.
Hence we have a cryptic prescription illustrating the method employed by
the ancient medical brethren to convey their meaning to each other. The
spinel is here an active mineral employed in the treatment, together
with the moon and negative or afternoon sun, of certain afflictions of
the legs. Even today it is a custom amongst medical men to preface their
prescriptions with the symbol of Jupiter. The stork is also greatly
esteemed as a bird of good fortune and happy omen, and in many countries
it is protected against destruction.
The spinel was esteemed as a perfect health stone and was especially
valued as a charm to be worn over the solar plexus. It was a fortunate
gem for doctors of medicine, scholars, writers, clerks, secretaries,
manufacturers, business people, hospital attendants, nurses, etc. It
raised the thoughts and purified the imagination. A specimen placed at
each corner of a house was considered a protection against calamity, and
rough pieces placed at the 4 angles of a garden, orchard or corn field
were said not only to protect the products from storms and lightning,
but also to carry the symbolic influence of rich returns for the farmer.
The spinel or balas, rubicelle, almandine ruby and the Sapphirine are
under the Zodiacal Virgo. The Chloro-spinel and the pleonaste are under
the zodiacal Capricorn.
SPODUMENE
Spodumene derives its name from the Greek word SPODIOS, ash-coloured. It
is a stone resembling Feldspar, but has a lustre more pearl-like. In
general appearance spodumene is of a pale yellow tint, sometimes gray or
as its name suggests, ash-coloured. It is about the hardness of quartz.
The emerald green variety which is exceedingly rare, is called
Hiddenite, after its discoverer, Mr. M. G. Hidden, and it is said by
Professor Dana to rival the emerald as a gem. It was discovered in 1881
in North Carolina, which seems to be the only place of its occurrence.
Comparatively few specimens have been distributed and amongst them no
stones of any considerable size. A pretty example of 2½ carats is in the
Natural History section of the British Museum. Perhaps the most
beautiful examples of this mineral were discovered in the San Diego
district of California in 1903 and named Kunzite, after Dr. G. F. Kunz.
These stones range in colour from pale violet to deep lilac and large
specimens have already been unearthed, that in the British Museum
weighing 60 carats. Dr. G. F. H. Smith remarks that under the influence
of Radium Kunzite is phosphorescent, thus presenting some difference
from spodumene in general. In analysis it is shown that spodumene
contains 7.5 per cent of lithia. It would be, in harmony with ancient
philosophy, under the zodiacal Libra, although the variety Hiddenite may
be connected with the zodiacal Taurus. All varieties of spodumene would
be regarded as powerful eye charms and as beneficial to the kidneys and
lumbar regions.
SUCCINITE (See GARNET.)