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BOOK VI
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137
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Glass can be dyed a red color which imitates that of the carbunculus. The
same color can also be obtained by cementing two pieces of quartz
together with a red dye between them which gives a flame color to the
entire stone. If two pieces of hexagonal quartz are cemented together
with red between them and the rays of the sun allowed to fall upon this
doublet in a shaded place it will throw red tones upon an adjacent
wall. The outermost zone of these tones is often blue however, having
been retained from the rainbow which can be produced with any hexagonal
quartz crystal. Brilliant metal foil is placed under carbunculi in order to give them a bright flaming color. The carbunculus has fewer flaws than any other gem. Alabandicus sometimes contains scales and some of the Indian gems are dirty. As a rule carbunculi are
small although some of the Indian stones are so large that goblets can
be made from them that will hold a little less than a pint. Pliny
writes that he collected drinking goblets made from the Egyptian
stones. Theophrastus writes that the Arcadian stones were so large that
window panes could be made from them.
The form of the carbunculus, as
well as that of other gems, varies. The stones from Miletus, Caria, are
hexagonal according to Theophrastus. As a rule they do not melt in a
fire and this is especially true of the carche-donii and the Thracian stones that have the same hardness as diamond.39 Archelaus writes that the carchedonius found by the Garamantes and Xasamones when engraved, no matter how dark the stone may be, will melt wax.
Lychnites and lychnis have a glow similar to the flame of an oil lamp whence their names (λύχνος, a
lamp). This gem is found in the cliffs of Pallene, a peninsula of
Thrace; near the cliffs of Orthosia and in all parts of Caria and
neighboring regions and in India. The Indian stones are the best.
Pliny, as well as others, regarded them as pale carbunculi..40
Sandastros is another stone that glows with a reddish gold color. Some call this gem garamantiles because it is found in the country of the Garamantes in Ethiopia. The gem dealers call it hyacinthus, not
having followed the writers. Pliny says that it is found in India at a
place with the same name. The younger writers say that it comes from
the mountains of Ceylon where it is found with the carbunculus. The stones found in southern Arabia are quite dark as though full of smoke. Within the body of sandastros and
not on the surface golden points are seen to shine like the stars in
the heavens, using the words of Pliny. The more golden points there are
the more valuable the gem. Since this gem has the same number
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does not include ruby. His ballagius, candidus and spinellus are spinel; alabandicus, syrtites and troezenius, almandine; granatus and carchedonius, pyrope; amethystizon and lithizon, rhodolite.
39 The references to resistance to fire must refer to the spinel and possibly to the ruby, not to the garnet.
40 This passage probably refers to the ruby although the description is inadequate.
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