Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v1.c24.s2.t2.5

v1.c24.s2.t2.5

Trade of cinnabar, red mercuric sulphide, was not voluminous but certain comments about the name of the mineral may be recorded here. The name sandarake for realgar was transferred to the vegetable gum sandarac of similar red colour. The reverse process took place in the case of cinnabar. The exudations of *Dracaena cinnabari* in Socotra, *Calamus draco* (order Palmae) in India etc. produced red exudations named *Kinnabari*. According to mythology (of Indian origin?) *Kinnabari* is the thick matter or blood which issues from the fighting dragon when crushed beneath the weight of the dying elephant. Eventually it represented Spanish quick-silver earth, the red mineral, sulphide of mercury.