Home » categories » rare book library » King. Precious Stones and Precious Metals.
This chapter is tagged (labeled) with: 

Ch. 6: Carbunculus, Ruby

Ch. 6: Carbunculus, Ruby Page of 377 Ch. 6: Carbunculus, Ruby Text size:minus plus Restore normal size   Mail page  Print this page
CARBUNCULUS.
227
shall see immediately, understood it in the latter more prosaic sense. Perhaps, after all, Pliny's expression meant no more than lamp-like blaze, for Dionysius has to that effect—
It was produced in Orthosia, as well as all over Caria and the neighbouring regions; but that most esteemed came from India :* " which last some have termed a Car­buncle of milder tint." The second in rank was the Ionia, so called from its resemblance to the flower of the same name (the Greek "Iov, or Red Cyclamen). " And between these last I find a difference noticed, one kind having a purple lustre, the other a red (cocco, kermes). Warmed in the sunshine, or by friction with the fingers, they attract straws and scraps of paper, "f The description of the same stone given by Solinus is, according to his custom, much more definite than the above, and more that of the prac­tical gem-dealer. He calls the species " Lychnites," be­cause these stones shine most by lamplight ; " it is both of a transparent purple and of a light red, and attracts bits of thread, straws, &c, when rubbed, or heated in the sun. It is very difScult to engrave, and then pulls away the wax as though by the bite of a living creature, ' velut quodam
Ch. 6: Carbunculus, Ruby Page of 377 Ch. 6: Carbunculus, Ruby
Suggested Illustrations
Other Chapters you may find useful
Other Books on this topic
bullet Tag
This Page