208 pltnt's natural histoet. [Book XXXIV. 



too, in the smelting ; some kinds producing knurrs of metal, 

 which are especially adapted for hardening into steel, or else, 

 prepared in another manner, for making thick anvils or heads 

 of hammers. But the main difference results from the quality of 

 the water into which the red-hot metal is plunged from time to 

 time. The water, which is in some places better for this pur- 

 pose than in others, has quite ennobled some localities for the 

 excellence of their iron, Bilbilis,^*^ for example, and Turiasso*^ 

 in Spain, and Coraum^ in Italy ; and this, although there are 

 no iron mines in these spots. 



But of all the different kinds of iron, the palm of excellence 

 is awarded to that which is made by the Seres,^^ who send it to 

 us with their tissues and skins f"^ next to which, in quality, is 

 the Parthian^^ iron. Indeed, none of the other kinds of iron are 

 made of the pure hard metal, a softer alloy being welded with 

 them all. In our part of the world, a vein of ore is occasionally 

 found to yield a metal of this high quality, as in Noricum^' for 

 instance ; but, in other cases, it derives its value from the 

 mode of working it, as at Sulmo,®^ for example, a result owing 

 to the nature of its water, as already stated. It is to be ob- 

 served also, that in giving an edge to iron, there is a great differ- 

 ence between oil- whetstones and water- whetstones,^^ the use 

 of oil producing a much finer edge. It is a remarkable fact, 

 that when the ore is fused, the metal becomes liquefied like 



long bars, in thickness resembling a steel used for sharpening. The 

 French word acier, meaning " steel," may possibly come from the Latin 

 " acies" — " edge," as Beckmann lias suggested. 



5s Situate at the spot now known as "Bambola," near Calatayud. The 

 river Salo ran near it, the waters of which, as here mentioned, were cele- 

 brated for their power of tempering steel. The poet Martial was a native 

 of this place. 



59 Supposed to be the modern Tarragona. ^o ggg ]3_ \\\^ g 21. 



61 See B. vi. cc. 20-24, B. vii. c. 2, and B. xii. cc. 1, 41. This Seric iron 

 has not been identified. Ctesias, as quoted by Pliotius, mentions Indian 

 iron. See Beckmann, Vol. II. p. 228. £ohn's Edition. 



62 Thought by Beckmann, quoting from Bottiger, possibly to bear refer- 

 ence to a transfer trade of furs, through Serica, from the North of Asia, 

 See Vol. II. p. 307. As to the Seric tisssues, see B. xxxvii. c. 77. 



63 Or " Persian.'' The steel of Damascus had in the middle ages a 

 high reputation. 



**^ See B. iii. cc. 21, 27. Horace speaks of the "Norican sword" on 

 two occasions. — B. 



f5 See B. iii. cc. 9, 17. ^'^ See B, xviii. c. 67, and B. xxxvi. c. 38. 



