associated azurite, it was almost certainly the most important source of copper in antiquity. It should be especially noted that Theophrastus, in speaking here of κυανός αυτοφυής (native or natural kyanos), means a particular mineral. For information on the various natural and artificial products that were included under the general name Xyanos, see the notes on section 55.
39. There is another stone which is life glowing coals in color.
The Greek is ambiguous here, since the word ανθραξί can refer either to charcoal, presumably in the form of glowing coals, or to a red precious stone. This red ore or mineral was probably cuprite, native cuprous oxide, which may be deep red or nearly black in color. So far as color is concerned, the allusion might be to pyrargyrite, otherwise called ruby silver or dark-red silver ore, a silver sulfantimonite. However, cuprite is more likely, because in the same passage Theophrastus mentions two other ores of copper, both of which are commonly found associated with cuprite.
40. In general a great many unusual types of such stones are found in mines.
Theophrastus evidently knew that a large number of mineral species existed, and the few that he mentions here and in later sections appear to be given mostly as examples of certain classes. The distinctions which he makes about the physical form or properties of mineral substances also appear to be given only as examples. His concluding remark in this section shows that he knew that other distinctions were possible.
41. the Magnesian stone.
It is evident from the descriptions given by Pliny and other ancient authors that various minerals of different chemical composition came from localities bearing the name Magnesia and were named after them. A white kind which Pliny291 says was somewhat like pumice and which came from Magnesia in Asia Minor apparently corresponds to the one that Theophrastus mentions here. Various conjectures have been made about the identity of
2»i XXXVI, 128.
