Ball — Inaugural Address to the Royal Geological Society. 89 



exported. They reached the seaport from Ozene and Paithana, 

 the modern Ujein in Malwa, and Paithan in Hyderabad. These 

 are still known as the principal sources, among many, where 

 pebbles of onyx and other Ohaloedonic minerals are obtained from 

 the detritus of the Deccan basalt.^ The famous Mouppivjj, which 

 fetched extravagant prices- in the Roman markets, was also 

 obtained in Ozene and exported from Barugaza. 



Regarding the identity of this substance, Herman Miiller, as 

 quoted by Mr. M'Crindle, remarks : — " Six hundred writers emu- 

 lously applying themselves to explain what had the best claim to 

 be considered the Murrha of the ancients, have advanced the most 

 conflicting opinions. Now it is pretty well settled that the Murr- 

 hine vases were made of that stone which is called in German 

 flusspath [spato fluore " ). In spite of a desire not to augment this 

 intolerable number of opinions, I must register an objection to this 

 judicial decision of Professor Miiller. Fluor spar happens to be, 

 though so common a mineral in other countries, of the very greatest 

 rarity in India, and there is no record of its occurrence in the 

 Deccan basalts. It is, moreover, a mineral which, while it is sus-' 

 ceptible of being- made into ornamental objects, is, from its soft- 

 ness, easily injured by wear and tear, and therefore possesses little 

 durability. 



On the other hand, at Ujein, a great variety of Chalcedonic 

 minerals are found, and I therefore prefer to follow those of the 

 six hundred writers who have identified one or other of its varieties 

 with the ancient murrha. At the present day cups and vases of 

 carnelian, agate, &c., are obtainable in Bombay; and I think it 

 most improbable that the modern Akiks, or lapidaries, who are the 

 direct descendants of those who made the murrhine cups 2000 

 years ago, ever saw, much less worked, the mineral called fluor spar. 



Another argument in support of this identification has been 

 urged by some writers : it is that stone cups and vases, and frag- 

 ments of them which have been obtained in excavations at Rome, 

 have, on examination, proved to be of this material. None of fluor 

 spar are recorded. 



^ Economic Geology of India, p. 502, where numerous references and a full account 

 of the trade will he found. 



- Nero gave for one 300 talents, =£58,125. They were first seen at Eome in the 

 triumphal procession of Pompejr. 



