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ONYX.
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221
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black,
engraved in a very bold manner with Apollo resting his lyre on a
column, and standing before a tall, smoking, tripod. It realised the
high price of 90/. at the sale in 18,39, and was bought by Mr. John
Webb.
As
an additional proof, derived from unbroken tradition (" traditione
continua "), that the Nicolo was the Roman Onyx, we have the curious
fact recorded by De Boot (writing on immemorial authority) : " That
sort of the Onyx is the first in value and estimation which is of a
bluish tinge, having a black layer underneath ; and is especially
sought after by the Jews, for they have a constant tradition that this
bluish Onyx was one of the number of the Twelve Stones, and therefore
they reverence and value it highly (ii. 244).
It
has likewise the honour of being the first amongst gems to be mentioned
in the most ancient of all records (Gen. ii. 12). Together with fine
gold and the spice Bdellium it was the production for which the
land of Havi-lah was famed. The region intended by this name some
suppose to have been the Northern provinces of Arabia, where Strabo
places the Chavilatœi. Others translate Bdellium by " Pearl," in which case the passage contains the three most noted exports of Arabia.
But
to return to the definitions of the early Greek travellers. Such a
species of many- coloured quartz as they describe, partly opaque,
partly transparent, full of lines, eyes, and spots, would now be called
an Agate, rather than an Onyx. Indeed Isidorus (Origg. xvi. 11), by a
singular anticipation of the modern nomenclature, describes the Achates as
" black, having in the middle white and black circles joined together
and veined." Such a description exactly applies to that finest
specimen of antique work in Agate anywhere preserved, the leopard's head of the Townley Collection, admirably sculptured in full relief,
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