Portal logo
FOREWORD
vii
Unctuous
Inflammable Non-inflammable Stones
Stones Gems Marbles Rocks Metals Mixed Composite Minerals
As would be expected he had great difficulty placing many so-called miner­als in this classification, particularly the fossils and some of the materials considered as gems. Fossils were not generally recognized as such al­though he recognized coquina as consisting of fossil shells.
It was not possible for him to discard or discredit all the time-honored fantasies regarding minerals, particularly the mythical and magical properties ascribed to so many of them. While some are discarded others are mentioned but in context that indicates serious doubt on his part. It is interesting to note that the one outstanding error he makes is the classification of camphor as a corpus subterraneum related to petroleum, an error based on deductive reasoning and not on observation.
De Natura Fossilium was first published by the Forben press at Basel in 1546 and later editions appeared in 1558 (folio), 1612 (12mo), and 1657 (folio). The second edition, also published by the Forben press, appeared three years after his death. The work was translated into Italian in 1612 and into German in 1809-1810.
Agricola uses some 573 Latin mineral names and 115 Greek names. Two minerals are described by concise phrases. Twenty-seven mineral or "fossil" materials are given the same Latin name as some other wholly dissimilar material and three are given Greek names. At least twenty mineral species are described for the first time and several materials or minerals are described but not named. In spite of the scope of the work there are several noteworthy omissions of mineral names undoubtedly well known to him. Apparently Agricola was slow to accept certain changes introduced by his contemporaries, for example, the use of the name natron instead of nitrum.
Aside from its historical interest this work is of particular value in giv­ing mineral localities and describing the occurrence of many ore minerals for the first time.