THE ONYX MARBLES. 543 



for four small pillars of it were erected by Cornelius Balbus in his 

 theater as something quite marvelous. Ajasseu, however, thinks these 

 were of yellow jasper or sardonyx, and I myself have seen 30 columns 

 of larger size in the banqueting room which Callistres erected." 



Again, "this stone is called 'alabastrites' by some, and is hollowed 

 out into vessels for holding unguents, it having the reputation of pre- 

 serving them from corruption better than anything else. In a calcined 

 state it is a good ingredient for plasters. That which is of a honey 

 color is the most esteemed, covered with spots curling in whirls and 

 not transparent. Alabastrite is considered defective when it is of a 

 white or horn color, or approaching to glass in appearance." * 



"Alabastrites is a stone which comes from Alabastron in Egypt and 

 Damascus in Syria. It is of a white color, spotted with various tints. 

 Calcined with fossil salt and pulverized, it is a cure for affections of 

 the mouth and teeth, it is said.''t 



"Ajasseu remarks that under this name (alabaster) the ancients 

 meant, first, yellow, calcareous alabaster, and, secondly, chalcedony, 

 unclassified."! 



It seems most probable that the drinking vessels and feet of chairs 

 and beds referred to in these quotations were of the true onyx (chal- 

 cedony). The amphora? and large columns, on the other hand, were 

 most likely of the onyx marble (travertine or stalagmite). The ala- 

 bastrites, which on being calcined is good for i)lasters, would seem at 

 first thought to be a true alabaster (calcium sulphate) since this when 

 thus treated yields the well-known plaster of paris. I have as yet, 

 however, to learn with absolute certainty of the use of the sulphate 

 by the Egyptians for the purpose he mentions— that of making vessels 

 for holding unguents; and, inasmuch as the calcium carbonate would 

 yield quicklime on calcining, it seems most probable that the material 

 referred to in the second and third quotations from Pliny's work was 

 of the last-named material. 



In the descriptions of St. Marks Cathedral at Venice, as given by 

 Baedecker and others, mention is made of an altar with " four spiral 

 columns of alabaster, said to have once belonged to the temple of Solo- 

 mon, of which the two white ones in the middle are semitransparent." 

 To one at all acquainted with the physical properties of the true ala- 

 baster it seems impossible that the material- can be other than an onyx 

 marble or perhaps chalcedony. 



The above illustrations together with the references wliich follow will 

 serve to show the confusion existing in the literature on the subject. 



The derivation of the name is interesting, and may well be dwelt 

 upon briefly here. The original Greek word from which our word 



* Pliny, Natural History, Book xxxvi, chap. 12. 

 i Ibid., Book xxxvii, chap. 54. 

 J Ibid., Vol. VI., p. 399. 



