gems, early lapidaries, Albertus Magnus, Arabic mineralogy, Islamic lapidaries, Chinese lapidaries, Indian lapidaries, magical properties, medicine

Amplifies and educes additional material on minerals and gemstones given in Max Wellman’s Die Stein- und Gemmenbücher der Antike, which refers principally to the various editions and translations of Pseudo-Astrampsychos, Damigeron, Pseudo-Dioscorides, Epiphanius, Hermes Trismegistos, Dionysius, and Pseudo-Orpheus. Most of the discussion is devoted to Epiphanius’ treatise on the twelve stones of the High Priest’s breastplate—see there.