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Sardius, Sard

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SARDIUS.
299
statement as to the disrepute into which the yellow-coloured had fallen.
Bright-red, indeed, was the primary distinction of the Roman Sard, and hence the origin of Epiphanius' ridiculous etymology ; and thus Marbodus characterizes it " Sardius est puniceus, cujus color sanguineus." But now, by a singular perversion of mean­ing, the French restrict the name Sardoine to the yellow and brown sorts, calling the red alone Cornaline. The former word being naturally enough translated, by English and German writers, as Sardonyx, has given rise to much confusion in quoting from Catalogues drawn up in French. Similarly, the absurd practice of the English lapidaries of the last century, in calling Beryls the same sorts of Sards, has proved to the French and German archaeologists (like Clarae and Dr. Brunn) a fruitful source of error in their descriptions of engraved gems.
The supply of Sards from Babylon had failed before Pliny's age. They were said to have been found in the vicinity of that city, enclosed, like a heart, within other stones on their being broken open, and therefore termed " lapicidinas ;" but after­wards they were discovered in many places, as in Paros and Assos. Those from Leucas in Epirus, and the Egyptian kind, were set with a gold-foil under them ; whence it may be con­cluded they were transparent. The Arabian were more opaque ; the Indian transparent. Of the latter there were three kinds : the red ; the second either of a large size or of a fatty nature, for the passage is disputed—Jan reads, " quas Pionias vocant a pingue-tudine ;" the third was set with a silver foil, hence must have been of a dark-red, the same foil being now in use for Car­buncles. Sards retained their lustre longer than any other gem, but suffered most from contact with oil. Yeltheim has carefully investigated the subject of the ancient trade in this and similar stones, in his treatise, ' Ueber die Onyxgebirge des Ctesias.' At that time (1797) these Sards were occasionally brought to Amsterdam and Copenhagen from Cambaya, as ballast in large casks. They had been sold at Brunswick by Voigt of Amster­dam at the rate of 38 florins per cwt. Specimens from these, in the cabinet of Dr. Bruckmann, were the true Sarda Nobilis; and some also exhibited fine Onyx layers. He further men-
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