TOURMALINE—ZIRCON
TOURMALINE: ARRIVAL OF SPECIMENS IN LONDON: THE ASH ATTRACTOR: THE
“ELECTRIC STONE” OF LINNÆUS: THE “MAGNETIC” OF LEMERY: EXPERIMENTS
OF ÆPINUS AND LEHMANN: PROFESSOR GOODCHILD’S EXPERIMENT: SUSPECTED
CONNECTION OF THE TOURMALINE WITH ORIENTAL ALCHEMY: COLOURS OF THE
TOURMALINE: THE TOURMALINE AND THE TOPAZ IN METHYLENE IODIDE:
IDENTIFICATION SUGGESTIONS: PLINY’S LYCHNIS: THE CADUCEUS OF HERMES:
TURQUOISE: SAXO AND ALBERTUS MAGNUS ON ITS VIRTUES: THE PIRUZEH OF
THE ARABIANS: THE CHALCHIHUITL OF THE MEXICANS: IDENTIFIED WITH
PLINY’S CALLAIS: A FAVOURITE ORIENTAL CHARM STONE: A SYMBOLIC THEORY
OF ORIGIN: STONE OF THE HORSE AND RIDER: A RELIGIOUS GEM OF JUPITER:
A CHARM AGAINST THE EVIL EYE: A SENSITIVE STONE: MISTAKES OF
WRITERS: MEDICINAL VALUES: TURQUOISE SET IN STATUES OF BUDDHA: THE
GOLDEN BOW AND TURQUOISE ARROW: GEM OF THE GODS: COLOUR CHANGES IN
TURQUOISE: TURQUOISE AND THE WEATHER: INDIAN RAIN-STONE: KING
TOHESER AND THE TURQUOISE MINES: MAJOR C. MAC DONALD AND PROFESSOR
FLINDERS PETRIE DISCOVER THE OLD TURQUOISE WORKINGS: LOVE OF THE
TURQUOISE IN OLD EGYPT: SOME UNIQUE STONES: THE GEM IN PERSIA: THE
KHORASSAN MINES: STONE OF FASHION IN 17TH CENTURY EUROPE: DEATH
STONE OF JAMES IV OF SCOTLAND: HENRY VIII SENDS A LAST GIFT TO
CARDINAL WOLSEY: MARBODUS’S TURQUOISE TALISMAN OF FREEDOM:
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN “DE VIELLE ROCHE” AND “DE NOUVELLE ROCHE”:
VARISCITE: IDENTIFIED AS THE CALLAINA OF PLINY: MANÉ ER H’ROCK OR
FAIRY ROCK OF BRITTANY: ZIRCON: STONE OF THE MOON’S NODES: THE
SNAKES OF THE CADUCEUS.
TOURMALINE
“_This black thing, one of the prettiest of the very few pretty black
things in the world, is called Tourmaline._”
RUSKIN.
The Tourmaline, written in the 18th century in England as Tumalin, is
derived from the Ceylonese TURMALI or TORAMALLI. The first specimens to
arrive in London were known as “Brazilian Emeralds,” and they came from
Brazil in the 17th century only to meet with an unfavorable reception.
In the beginning of the 18th century Dutch merchants began to bring from
Amsterdam specimens obtained by them from Ceylon. The Dutch cutters,
observing how straw and other particles were attracted to specimens
which had been lying in the sunlight, called the stone in consequence
Aschentrekker (ash attractor). The Germans called it Azchenzieher, and
the French Tire-cendre.
The Swedish scholar Linnæus experimented with the Tourmaline, calling it
the “Electric Stone.” M. Lemery, the French Professor, called it the
“Magnetic.” The experiments of Æpinus and Lehmann were concerned with
the positive and negative energies exhibited by the Tourmaline. These
18th century scholars held that its power of repulsion exceeded its
power of attraction. This sensitive stone is affected by weather
changes, and it exhibits considerable power when heated—the electricity
then developed being termed pyro-electric. Professor W. Goodchild, M.B.,
etc., details an interesting experiment in dealing with the Physical
Properties of Gem Stones:
"A crystal of tourmaline, in heating to 150° C., becomes positively
electrified at one terminature and negatively at the other. If now it be
suspended by a non-conducting thread it will act as a magnet: on
cooling, the charges on the poles reverse, positive becoming negative.
If a crystal with such a charge be dusted with a fine mixture of sulphur
and red lead, the yellow sulphur will be attracted to the portions
charged with positive electricity, while the red lead goes to the
negatively charged portions."
This experiment serves to illustrate the attraction of the mind
(represented by yellow sulphur), towards the positive pole, and matter
(represented by red lead), towards the negative pole, as noted in the
philosophical researches of the old alchemists. If in a heated state,
the tourmaline be shattered all the little pieces will exhibit the
forces of attraction and repulsion so marked in this strange stone. It
has been suspected, not without reason, that tourmaline specimens were
used by some of the Eastern students of alchemy who held primarily that
the substance of the Philosopher’s Stone is Mercurial and that it should
be treated with heat, for by that means alone would its use be shown,
warmth coming from the Heavens to bless Man, Nature, and the Kingdoms of
Nature.
The tourmaline is remarkable also for the variety of its colours,
indicated by various and not always appropriate names. SCHORL, the black
variety spoken of by Ruskin, was so called according to De Costa (1761)
by the German miners. The same writer says “our English miners call them
‘bockle’ and ‘ball’.” The name appears as shirl, schirl (so spelt by De
Costa), schoerl, shorl. In the 16th century it was known in Germany as
SCHRUL, but later in the 18th century it appears as SCHORL. The name is
now becoming unpopular, the simple term Black Tourmaline being
preferred. The colourless variety is termed ACHROITE, from a Greek word
meaning colourless; pink and rosy red are termed RUBELLITE; indigo blue,
INDICOLITE; blue, BRAZILIAN SAPPHIRE; green, BRAZILIAN EMERALD;
yellow-green, BRAZILIAN PERIDOT; honey-yellow, CEYLON PERIDOT; red
violet, SIBERITE. The brown variety is usually known as Brown
Tourmaline, although it has been known and still is known as Brazilian
Topaz or Ceylonese Topaz. It is not so hard as the topaz, however,
ranging in the scale somewhere between quartz and zircon. The refractive
powers are likewise not in agreement, and in Methylene Dioxide the topaz
(stone of Mars) sinks, whilst the Tourmaline (stone of Mercury) floats.
There are also amber-coloured, cinnamon, lilac, grey, blue-grey,
water-green and many beautiful parti-coloured specimens.
It is believed by some students that this gem was known to the ancients
by the name LYNCURIUM, which Mr. King believes to be a species of
jacinth, Dr. Brotero an orange-coloured hyacinth. Professor Ajasson,
believing the name to refer to Tourmaline, suggests that LYN may be
derived from the Sanscrit word LANKA, the name of Ceylon, a place where
the stone is plentifully found. The general opinion now is that the
stone described by Pliny under the name of LYCHNIS is our tourmaline.
Pliny writes in his 37th Book on Natural History of the power of the
LYCHNIS of drawing straws and fluff towards it when heated by the sun or
by the friction of the hand.
The peculiar attractive and repulsive properties of the tourmaline may
be compared with the mysteries contained in the caduceus of the wise and
ever-restless Hermes. The symbolical snakes which adorn the rod
represent knowledge received and knowledge imparted in the hermetic
scheme of the Rosicrucians. The tourmaline is symbolical of wisdom,
strength of mind, eloquence, learning and the power of knowledge. It is
the stone for the author, poet, editor, and teacher. To dream of it
means—in harmony with ancient philosophy—success through knowledge in
all walks of life.
The tourmaline in all colours is under the zodiacal Gemini.
TURQUOISE
“_The fair Queen of France
Sent him a turquoise ring and glove,
And charged him as her knight and love
For her to break a lance._”
SIR WALTER SCOTT.
“Turquoise” has been written in a remarkable number of ways, amongst
them being turky, torkey, turquay, turkey stone, turkie, turkeis,
turkese, turkise, turkes, turkas, turkis (as used by Tennyson),
turkoise, turkez, turqueis, turques, turchis, turquesse, torchas,
turcasse, turquez, toorkes, turkesse. The Venetians call it turchesa,
the French turquoise, the Germans turkis. Andrea Bacci (“De Gemmis et
Lapidibus pretiosis,” etc., 1605) says that this stone is called
Turcicus, “Either on account of its admirable loveliness or for the
reason that it is obtained from the Turks.” The name as we have it does
not seem to go further back than the 13th century when Saxo, agreeing
with Albertus Magnus, writes of it and praises its virtues as a
preventive of accidents to the eye. The old Persians called it PIRUZEH,
the Triumphant, and the Arabians, whose special luck stone the turquoise
is, engrave on specimens the name “Allah” with a verse from the Koran,
or with some magical sign inserted in pure gold. It is known to the
Mexicans as CHALCHIHUITL. This stone is identified with the Callais of
Pliny, who relates symbolically that it was shot down by means of slings
from unapproachable rock lands. The symbol has relation to the power of
this stone of the Heavenly Archer over seemingly terrifying obstacles
when firmly directed by the compelling will.
The turquoise is favoured by Eastern occult students who employ it
largely in the composition of amulets and charms. It was said to have
sprung up like an eye from its matrix, and is identified with the
Antares in the Archer of the Heavens. These stars were indicated as
affecting the eyes in the same degree as the Pleiades and the Asselli of
Taurus and Leo. In modern Egypt a turquoise is applied to the eye as a
remedy for cataract and other ophthalmic troubles, specimens thus
employed being usually engraved with the sacred name of Allah. The
turquoise is especially the stone of horses, mules and camels, and from
most ancient times specimens have adorned their trappings. Leonardus
said that so long as a horseman carried a piece of turquoise with him
whilst riding he would never have an accident, nor would his horse be
fatigued, for it was believed that the stone would draw the pain of the
accident to itself. Boetius de Boodt says that when riding to his house
along an uncertain road on a dark night he fell with his horse down a
declivity but neither he nor his animal suffered hurt. His turquoise,
however, was shattered. The stone was carried by jockeys, huntsmen and
horsemen generally as a symbol of the special protection of Jupiter. In
the Middle Ages the turquoise was much worn by young girls who regarded
it as a religious jewel for the protection of their virtue and for the
uplifting of their thoughts. In the most ancient science the sign
Sagittarius—the house or mansion of the planet Jupiter—is the sign of
sport, horses, dreams, high philosophy, religion (not in the sense of
creed), the true lamp of life, long voyages, publications (not
newspapers), etc. Thus the turquoise—as the stone of Sagittarius—was a
stone of dreams, the horse, philosophy, religion, etc., and its grand
symbolic purpose was to help the spiritual person to resist the
weakness, evils and temptations so intermixed with material life. The
turquoise was said to be a charm against the evil eye and evil thoughts.
The Arabs say that the stone is sensitive to weather changes and that
its colour is affected by the state of the atmosphere. They knew Jupiter
as the “Cloud Gatherer,” “The Thunderer,” “The God of the Murky Cloud,”
etc., and they connected the turquoise with his powerful works. The
planet Jupiter strong at birth is held to indicate riches and worldly
advantage. The old Arabian writers note a form of magic for inducing
wealth and monetary advantages, performed in the hour of Jupiter. During
this ceremony a turquoise was held in the right hand and the desires
spoken into the stone at which a steady gaze was directed.
Carelessness has led to error amongst writers. A 16th century author
confuses the topaz with the turquoise, describing the latter as a “gem
of yellow colour” and recommending it as a charm against the bites of
reptiles and stings of insects—qualities ascribed by the old masters to
the topaz, gem of the sign of the Scorpion. Another writer repeats the
error, saying that “this yellow stone reduced to a powder is helpful in
case of stings from scorpions and fearful and venomous reptiles.” The
turquoise was held in esteem for diseases of the hip—a part of the body
astrologically under the sway of Sagittarius. In this connection the
stone was reduced to a paste and bound flat to the part affected, whole
specimens being bound above and below the seat of the trouble. The
turquoise contains a high percentage of Phosphoric Acid, which is
employed in modern homœopathy for affections of the lungs,
astrologically under the sign Gemini and therefore opposite to the sign
Sagittarius. The ancients advised the turquoise as a lung medicine, not
to be taken internally. The sign Sagittarius is also the sign of
prophecy, and the turquoise set in the foreheads of the statues of
Buddha and other images symbolizes the knowledge of things to come. The
golden bow and the turquoise arrow of the Tibetan legend has especial
reference to the Sun in the sign Sagittarius. Dr. Kunz, quoting from Dr.
Berthold Laufer of the Field Museum, Chicago, refers to this legend as
follows:
“A powerful saint touching the bow and arrow of a blacksmith transforms
the bow into gold and the arrow into turquoise.” The bow represents the
solar rays and the arrow the Heavens, hence it is little wonder that the
turquoise was termed the “gem of the Gods.” The turquoise was also
recommended for diseases of the throat and heart—as phosphoric acid is
today in Homœopathy. In harmony with an ancient astro-philosophy
known as “Planetary Interchanges,” the turquoise was considered an ideal
lovers’ gift—unless the stone was otherwise than fortunate in the
horoscope of the recipient—and a gift of friendship.
[Illustration: Specimen of Rough Turquoise, Victoria, Australia]
The changes of colour in a turquoise have been long noted, and the lines
of the poet Donne are frequently quoted:
“_As a compassionate turquoise that doth tell
By looking pale the wearer is not well._”
Boetius tells a story of a wonderful turquoise possessed by a Spanish
gentleman which so lost its colour after his death that it appeared
“more like a malachite than a turkois.” Boetius then says that his
father bought it for very little at the sale of the Spaniard’s effects
and gave it to him. He relates that he had hardly worn it for a month
when “it resumed its pristine beauty and daily appeared to increase in
splendour.” Mr. Harry Emanuel gives a somewhat similar story concerning
a turquoise that lost its lustre with the death of its owner “as if
mourning for its master,” regaining it in its “former exquisite
freshness” when worn by its new owner. A case of this kind came under
the writer’s notice: The wife of a well-known pastoralist of New South
Wales had a bangle of turquoises cut into the shape of Egyptian scarabs.
While travelling in Japan she became ill and the stones changed from a
soft blue to a dull green, regaining their former beauty when the lady
regained her health. One of the oldest firms of jewellers in the city of
Melbourne, Australia, was worried to find that an exquisite Persian
turquoise entrusted to them to mount in a tiara with diamonds was
changing colour whilst in the hands of their chief “setter.” This
craftsman had been complaining for some days of indisposition. Strangely
enough, the gem regained its beautiful colour on being entrusted to
another and healthier workman.
The connection of the turquoise with weather changes is not confined
merely to Oriental peoples. The Pueblo and Apache Indians employ it as a
rainstone, which they say is always found concealed at the foot of the
rainbow. They place pieces of turquoise on their bows and fire arms as
directing charms for trueness of aim.
This stone is also called the “gem of liberty and benevolence,” and an
old Eastern proverb says: “A turquoise given with the hand of love
carries with it true fortune and sweet happiness.” Another Eastern
belief runs that the turquoise turns pale when danger threatens the
giver. Felton in his “Secrete Wonders of Nature,” 1569, states that “the
turkeys does move when there is any peril prepared to him that weareth
it.” Dr. E. A. Wallis Budge identifies Tcheser of the 3rd dynasty (3900
B.C.) who built the “Step Pyramid” at Sakkarah as the Memphian King who
worked the turquoise mines of Sinai. His name is still perpetuated on a
rock at Wadi Magharah. It was at this place that Major C. MacDonald
found turquoise in 1849, and Professor Flinders Petrie in 1905.
Professor Petrie also discovered evidences here of very ancient mining
operations. Archaic specimens of worked turquoise are still being found
in Egypt. The colour appealed to the sons and daughters of Khem who
imitated it to a very great extent in their scarabs, beads, ornaments
and other articles of adornment. In the Vatican collection there are
valuable intaglios and cameos cut in this stone which in some instances
retain their heaven-blue colour to this day. Mr. King mentions a
laureated head of Augustus and the Head of a Gorgon in the Fould
collection, “the original azure converted into a dull green by the
action of the earth.” In Persia the stone was always highly esteemed and
the most perfect specimens are held by the Royal House. The Khorassan
mines near Nishapur are still famous for the remarkable beauty of the
stones won from them. So fashionable was the gem in Europe in the 17th
century that no true gentleman would consider his dress complete unless
his hand was adorned with a ring of Turquoise, for it was (as a true
stone of the Archer) symbolic of the fairness and high sense of justice
of the wearer. The famous turquoises in the Royal Jewels of Spain were
brought from New Mexico somewhere about this period also. Sir Walter
Scott in “Marmion” sings of the turquoise ring and glove which the
French Queen sent to the Scottish King James IV, with 14,000 crowns of
France, begging him for the love she had for him to raise an army for
her sake. It is a curious fact that the turquoise was the death stone of
James IV who was killed at Flodden Field by an arrow from an _archer’s_
bow. The turquoise was to him a symbol of error and fatality. Henry VIII
sent the dying Cardinal Wolsey a ring of turquoise by Sir John Russel,
bidding him say to his fallen favourite that he, the King, “loved him as
well as ever he did and grieved for his illness.” For a talisman of
liberty and freedom Marbodus advises that a perfect turquoise be
engraved with a man standing under a beetle. It should be then set in a
brooch of gold and blessed and consecrated; “then the glory which God
hath bestowed shall manifest.” An astrological charm for wealth and
prosperity takes the form of a centaur firing an arrow upwards, to be
engraved on a turquoise, preferably in the hour of Jupiter with the Moon
in good aspect to Jupiter passing the 3rd and 4th degrees of
Sagittarius.
True turquoise, termed “de vieille roche,” or Oriental Turquoise,
differs from the fossil turquoise or Odontolite, called “de nouvelle
roche,” or occidental turquoise. Fossil turquoise can be easily marked
by a steel instrument, while true turquoise acts as flint to steel. A
drop of Hydrochloric acid causes effervescence in fossil turquoise,
which when submitted to fire gives out an animal odour. Fine turquoises
are of that heavenly blue colour known as “turquoise blue,” and they
present a waxy appearance. The variety known as Variscite, supposed to
be the Callaina of Pliny, is a soft green stone found in various forms
in prehistoric graves near Mane er H’rock or Fairy Rock in Brittany, in
the State of Utah in the United States of America, and other places.
The turquoise is under the zodiacal Sagittarius.
ZIRCON. The name zircon is said to be derived from the Arabic ZIRK, a
jewel. It was known in the Sanskrit as RAHURATNA or stone of the Nodes
of the Moon (Caput draconis and Cauda draconis), called the dragons of
Solar and Lunar eclipses. These dragons were controlled by the magical
power of Mercury and may also be compared to the snakes of the Caduceus.
The Zircon is a transparent to opaque stone and has been noticed more
fully under the names JARGOON and HYACINTH.
The Zircon is under the zodiacal Virgo.