Introduction of Glazes into China 131 



As regards the pleasant odor which Pliny accredits to the murrines, 

 this is intelligible only if the question is of pottery; scented minerals 

 or glass are not conceivable. We are informed by Athenaeus (XI, 

 p. 464 b) that the clay in the ceramic export-ware of Koptos in Egypt 

 was blended with aromatics before the process of baking; and Aristotle 

 follows him in this account. In the Greek papyri of the second cen- 

 tury a.d. are mentioned fragrant vessels (tvu&r] Kepa/ua) which were 

 possibly turned out in this manner. 1 



In the two chapters following the one in question, Pliny deals with 

 crystal: the introductory sentence contains a reference to the mur- 

 rines. He adopts the popular notion that crystal is a sort of petrified ice, 

 and occurs only in cold regions where the winter snow freezes intensely. 2 

 A cause opposite to the one producing the murrines, accordingly, makes 

 crystal which assumes form through a process of somewhat vehement 

 congelation. 3 This observation hints at the previous sentence, "Umor- 

 em sub terra putant calore densari." The murrines are a product of 

 heat, crystal is that of cold. This remark shows that murrines and 

 crystals are not allied, but adverse substances; and this contrast be- 

 lieved to prevail between the two may be one of the reasons why they 

 formed a favorite compound of speech. 



Passing on to a discussion of amber, our author informs us that 

 this natural product takes rank next among articles of luxury, though 

 the demand for it is restricted to women, and is held in the same regard 

 as precious stones; but whereas no evident reason can be conceived for 

 this appreciation of amber, the reason is manifest for the two former 

 substances, the crystal vases lending themselves to cold beverages, 

 the murrine vases to hot and cold ones alike. 4 The former notion 



1 T. Reil, Beitrage zur Kenntnis des Gewerbes im hellenistischen Agypten, 

 p. 41 (Leipzig, 1913). A reddish, odoriferous clay (Portuguese and Spanish bucaro, 

 Italian bucchero) was much in use for pottery during the eighteenth century. 



1 This does not restrain him from stating immediately that the Orient sends 

 crystal, and that none is preferred to that of India. The Buddhist monk Yuan 

 Ying (Yi ts'ie king yin i, Ch. 22, p. 2; see above, p. 115) was more discriminative on 

 this point. Speaking of rock-crystal, and mentioning the theory that it should 

 originate from ice a thousand years old, he points out that there is no ice in the 

 scorching heat of India, and that accordingly Indian rock-crystal is not a transforma- 

 tion of ice, but merely a kind of stone. See also T'oung Poo, 19 15, p. 190. 



* Contraria huic causa crystallum facit, gelu vehementiore concreto (xxxvn, 9, 

 823). 



4 Proximum locum in deliciis, feminarum tamen adhuc tantum, sucina optinent, 

 eandemque omnia haec quam gemmae auctoritatem; sane priora ilia aliquis de 

 causis, crystallina frigido potu, myrrhina utroque; in sucinis causam ne deliciae 

 quidem adhuc excogitare potuerunt (xxxvn, II, § 30). Compare J. H. Krause, 

 Pyrgoteles, p. 90. The passage is somewhat equivocal, owing to the uncertainty 

 as to what omnia haec is intended to refer. It may point to the various kinds of 



