gems, Arabic mineralogy

An eleventh-century Arabic treatise on gemstones, minerals, and metals, combining earlier scholarship with al-Bīrūnī’s observations and measurements. Following an introduction on human values, wealth, and adornment, the work discusses precious stones and other materials, then metals. It examines mineral names, physical properties, geographic sources, uses, and value, incorporating literary quotations and historical accounts. Its measurements of specific gravity are particularly significant for the history of mineral identification. Krenkow’s edition makes this major source for medieval Islamic mineralogy available in Arabic.