Naturalis historia 37.126

37.126

— Hyacinthos Aethiopia mittit et chrysolithos aureo fulgore tralucentes. praeferuntur his Indicae et, si variae non sint, Tibarenae. deterrimae autem Arabicae, quoniam turbidae sunt et variae, fulgoris interpellati nubilo macularum, etiam quae limpidae contigere, veluti scobe refertae. optimae sunt quae in collatione aurum albicare quadam argenti facie cogunt. hae funda includuntur perspicuae, ceteris subicitur aurichalcum, tametsi exiere iam de gemmarum usu.

CHAP. 42.—CHRYSOLITHOS: SEVEN VARIETIES OF IT. Æthiopia, which produces hyacinthos, produces chrysolithos also, a transparent stone with a refulgence like that of gold. The stones of India are the most highly esteemed, as also those found among the Tibareni, provided these last are not of a mottled hue. The worst in quality are those of Arabia, the colour of them being turbid and mottled, and their brilliancy interrupted by cloudy spots: even too, when they happen to be limpid, they have all the appearance of being full, as it were, of a peculiar dust. The best stones are those which, when placed by the side of gold, impart to it a sort of whitish hue, and so give it the appearance of silver. When this is the case, they are set in a bezel that is open on either side; but when the stone is of inferior quality, a ground of aurichalcum is placed beneath.

CHAP. 43.—CHRYSELECTRUM. Though it has now altogether gone out of use for jewellery, there is a precious stone known as "chryselectrum," the colour of which inclines to that of amber; but only when viewed by a morning light. The stones of Pontus are known by their lightness. Some of them are hard and reddish, while others, again, are soft and of a soiled appearance. According to Bocchus, these stones are found in Spain as well; in a spot where, according to him, fossil crystal has been discovered, in sinking to the water-level for wells. He tells us also that he once saw a chrysolithos twelve pounds in weight.