hide the real facts. They have especially mentioned fire, although fire
would convert the bones to lime and, if used in excess, it would make
them all lime.
Thhis was observed when warriors had set fire to some temples in
Hududin wherein jewels were stored which were being burnt up. Dulhra,
the ruler of this place was Amir Yamin al-Dawlah's prisoner. He wrote a
letter to Amir Yamin al-Dawlah: "These mad people are doing harm to
you by burning the jewels which are in great quantities. Please have the
jewels removed first, and then set fire." But, as was usual with the Amir,
he was obstinate and stubborn, and he ignored the letter. Later he
searched for jewels having had the fire extinguished, and found nothing
in the ash except for a few precious jewels and they looked as if tabasheer had been rubbed upon them. The Amir thus got nothing valuable
from the ash but for a few red ruby pieces.
It is said that Arabs designate the pearl as 'aj also since 'aj was used
by them in jewellery. A Bedouin says:
. . . Just as concealing the pearl and anointing with fragrances make
(one) pale.
A'arabi says:
The ornaments worne by 'Umayra on hands are like a'j (pearls)
with its yellowishness fine and fragrant
1 believe he has not equated 'aj with the pearl, since the pearl remains in
good state if concealed. He has implied the ivory of the tusk which becomes pale, as the pearl also becomes pale. It is said that the people of
Arabia and India made bracelets for their women from elephant tusks.
They were narrow or broad according to the wrists of the women. The
people of Arabia call them waqf.
Nabighah Ja'di says:
Like the elephant tusk bracelet anointed with the fragrance of musk
which Yemenite traders bring.
Nasr states:
When the water in the pearl has drained off, and it has become
colourless and unappealing to the ye, it is placed in the fat of the tail
of the sheep, wrapped in fermented flour, heated in water in a cup,
and rubbed with camphor after being taken out.
The jewellers have this to say about similar conditions:
If buried in the earth along with ground rice, it regains its former
condition. The same end is achieved if it is interred together with
crushed bones and the expressed juice of the melon.
They also say:
A corrupted pearl should be dipped in concentrated vinegar, to
which one qirat sal ammoniac, two habbahs natron, one habbah
borax, and three habbahs ground salsola are added. The mixture
