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THE INDIAN. ANTIQUARY.
[May, 1896.
Theophrastus (B. C. 300) and by Pliny (A. D. 77) were borne out by all subsequent experience.37 Apart from all records of Pliny or of Thomas Nichols, the Peruvians of the sixteenth century endorsed the truth of their forefathers' experience that the emerald was the home of a goddess.38 The monarchs of the East, in the nineteenth century after Christ, as in the nineteenth century before Christ, find magic and talismanic properties in gems.39 Even the European nineteenth century gem-dealer finds in precious stones some occult charm which causes them to be coveted.
The question remains :-"How comes it that man in all times and conditions bas agreed to hold gems worshipful? How is it that the sickly doubting beryl spirit of the Thomases, not less than the trusting full-blooded jasper spirit of the Peters, have found magic and mystic influences in gems ?" The answer seems to be that the gems are the homes of some of the greatest guardian spirits, the Eye, Blood, Fire and Light. It was because of their experience that these great guardians lived in precious stones that the ancient saying was accepted :-"A man may carry with him his genius or guardian in a gem."1 Three main characteristics in gems marked them from the earliest time as tempting guardian homes, the eye-like gleam of some, the blood-red sheen of others, and the lustre of a third class as either of fire or of light. It is from its pupil-like light-centre that the true cat's-eye gains its name and its high repute for luck both in Asia and in Europe. Even the false or quartz cat's-eye was sacred to Bel, the god of Babylon, and was known to the Romans both as Bel's-eye and as Wolf's-eye. The gleam of light in the true cat's-eye shifts, says Streeter, from side to side like a restless spirit glowing now at one spot, now at another. No wonder that people regard it with awe and wonder, believing it to be the abode of some spirit. From its strange property of gleaming through water the hydrophane was known as the eye of the world. That its blood-redness is the chief source of the worshipfulness of the ruby or carbuncle and of the garnet is shewn by Pigeon's blood, the name of the purest red ruby. 46 The same spirit-drawing influence brought the leading antique engraverg-the Chaldeans, Assyrians, Medes, Persiang, and Phoenicians-to start their carvings on the blood-spotted surface of the hematite or blood-stone.47 Among Christians, the worshipfulness of the green variety of the blood-stone was due to the explanation that its streaks were the marks of the blood of Christ. A stone so coloured had naturally the highest medicinal and magical virtues. Similarly, the blood-red tint of coral was explained by its having sprung from clots of blood dropped from the Gorgon or Medusa head, and in consequence coral or Gorgeia kept evil from the new-born and the wiles of the devil from all who wore it as a necklace 50 Fire struggled hard with blood as the origin of the healing influences of the carbuncle and garnet. According to some authorities the holiness both of the carbuncle and of the garnet was due to its looking like a glowing coal when held against the sun.51 Like the carbuncle and the chrysolite, the lychnis flames and some hyacinths glow like burning coal.52 The finest opals are known as fire opals. The numberless red flames blazing on its
37 Op. cit. p. 29.
* Op. cit. p. 134. Compare the emerald seen by Herodotos (B. C. 450), the night-glowing sign of Melkarth, the guardian of Tyre and Gaden (Journal Asiatique, Series VI. Vol. X. pp. 166, 266).. * Op. cit. p. 28.
Op. cit. p. 2. 41 Dieulafait's Diamonds and Precious stoner, p. 32. Compare Orpheus' (A. D. 950) description (King's Antique Gems, p. 457) :-"Now after washing and duly worshipping the serpent stone, a living soul enters the gem. Afterwards if the gom is held near the eye the spirit may be seen to leave the gem." 49 Streeter's Preciowe Stones and Gome, p. 118.
43 Emanuel's Diamonds anul Precious Stones, p. 173. 4 Streeter's Precione Stones and Gome, pp. 167, 168. 46 Dieulafait's Diamonds and Precious Bones, P. 103. 46 Emanuel's Diamonds and Precious stones, p. 105. 47 Dioulafait's Diamonds and Preciosa Stonos, p. 188. + Emanuel's Diamonds and Precious Stones, p. 176: King's Antique Gems, p. 17. 49 Emanuel's Diamonds and Precious Stones, p. 176. 60 Op. cit. p. 216.
61 Op. cit. p. 147. Marbodus (A. D. 1070) says the carbuncle gets its name from casting fiery rays like burning coal King's Antique Geme, p. 404. Compare (Isaiah, Chap. liv. 12) the Hebrew name for the carbuncle kautkod (Ency. Brit. Art. "Carbuncle") means glowing fire. In Exodus (Chap. xxviii, 17) it is called Bareketh the Flasher.
12 Emanuel's Diamonds and Precious Stones, pp. 27, 40.
