SAECOLITE. 



In Prinsep's " Oriental Accounts of the 

 Precious Minerals," it is stated, that under 

 the name of Sapphire or Yaqiit are comprised 

 all those stones of the Sapphire and Kuby 

 species which are distinguished (or rather 

 connected, as being chemically one) by the 

 epithet Oriental, in English books of mi- 

 neralogy, and are now classed together 

 under the general head of Corundum, because 

 they are composed of the same earth, alu- 

 mina, as the Corundum, or Kurun of the 

 Indians. The natives, like our own mine- 

 ralogists, distinguish four principal species 

 of j/aqut; red {Oriental Ruby), blue {Orien- 

 tal Sapphire), yellow, white, or colourless 

 (Oriental Topaz), and green {Oriental 

 Emerald). 



The medical properties of the yaqut 

 are remarkable : '• it purifies the blood, 

 strengthens, quenches thirst; it dispels 

 melancholy retiections ; and as a talisman 

 averts dangers, and insures honours and 

 competence." — Frinsep, Jl. Asi. Sac. Bengal, 

 vol, i. 



" From the earliest period of the Middle 

 Ages, the symbol of investiture with the 

 office of bishop, has been a ring set with 

 a Sapphire or Kuby, and worn on the fore- 

 finger. The reason for this choice Avas its 

 violet colour, agreeing with the vestments 

 appropriated to the episcopal office." * 



Sapphire is cut by means of diamond- 

 dust, and is polished on copper and lead 

 wheels witli emery powder. 



Blue Sapphire is imitated with lolite, 

 Kyanite, &c, : hardness affords the best test 

 of the genuineness of the stone. A good 

 sapphire of 10 carats is valued at 50 guineas, 

 and one of 20 carats at 200 guineas. Under 

 10 carats the price may be estimated by 

 multiplying the square of its weight in 

 carats into half a guinea ; thus, one of 4 ca- 

 rats would be worth -1 x 4 x 10s. M. = £8. 8s. 



Name. The word sapphire is derived 

 from a-ot.^!^ue.o; , the name of a blue- stone 

 amongst the ancients. Most probably the 

 ffot,T(pii^o? of the ancients, however, was not 

 our sapphire, but Lapis Lazuli. 



See Lam. iv. 7. Isaiah Hv. 11. 



Brit. Mus., Case 19. 



M. P. G. Horse-shoe Case, Nos. 786, 

 787, 792 — 794. Case 11 (W. Bathurst, 

 K S. Wales). 



Sarcolite, Thomson. Sarcolithe de 

 Thomson, Haiiy. Pyramidal. Occurs in 

 small, pale, flesh-red or brownish-white 

 crystals. Serai-transparent. Lustre vitre- 



* Antique Gems, th»ir origin, uses, a;id value 

 by Rev. C. W. King, M.A. p. 2%, 



SARD. 331 



ous. Extremely brittle, and full of flaws ; 

 falling to pieces unless carefiiUv handled. 

 H. 6. S.G. 2-545. 



Comp. (Na Ca)5 + M Si. 





Analysis, by Scacchi : 





Silica .... 



. 42-11 



Alumina 



. 2450 



Lime .... 



. 32-43 



Soda .... 



. 2-93 



101-97 



BB fuses to a white enamel. 



Forms a jelly with acids. 



Locality. Vesuvius, at Monte Somma, 

 associated with AVoUastonite, Hornblende, 

 and other Zeolites. 



Name. From <ra-e,i, flesh, and xiOos, stone ; 

 in allusion to its colour. 



Sard. 2«g§/«v, Theophrastus. A deep 

 brownish-red Chalcedony, of a blood-red 

 colour by transmitted liglit. 



It is difficult to draw the line of dis- 

 tinction between Sard and Carnelian ; the 

 former, however, when in its greatest per- 

 fection, is of a full, rich brown colour, 

 approaching more or less to orange or yel- 

 low, and when held between the eye and 

 the light exhibits a deep ruby colour, ap- 

 proaching to cherry-red or blood-red. Sard, 

 though found under the same circumstances, 

 is extremely rare compared with Carnelian, 

 and obtains a much higher price, especially 

 when of a very dark tint. 



It is procured from the shores of the Red 

 Sea ; and is found also in Perthshire. 



The name Sardus, or Sarda, is believed 

 by some to be derived from Sardinia (the 

 ancient Sardis), where it is said to have 

 been originally found (Hill's Theophrastus, 

 p. 96); by others it is supposed to be de- 

 rived from <r<x-il, flesh, because of its colour. 

 The Sard was the precious stone ordered to 

 be placed first on the breast-plate Avorn by 

 the high - priest of the Jews, and to be 

 engraved with the name of Reuben, but 

 probably the word Ot/e/u ( redness), rendered 

 Sarde in the Bible, may have meant Carne- 

 lian, or possibly Ruby, rather than the Sard 

 of ihe moderns. The Sard of the ancient 

 Greeks and Romans was certainly our Car- 

 nelian. See Exod. xxviii. 17. Ezek. 

 xxviii. 13. 



" The Sard and Onjx in one name unite, 

 And from their union spring three colours briglit. 

 O'er jetty black the brilliant white is spread, 

 And o'er the white diffused a fiery red ; 

 If clear the colours, if distinct the line, 

 Where stdl unmix'd the various layers join, 

 Such we for beauty and for value prize, 

 Rarest of all that teeming earth supphes: 



