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

The Greek and Latin lapidaries—catalogues of more or less precious stones, generally anonymous—have much to astonish modern readers, leading them far from the mines and into an arcane world. Generated by the rays of the sun or moon, by thunder or lightning, and secretly guarded by wolves, eagles, and other predatory animals, the stones function as true talismans, used in matters of the heart, in the treatment of illnesses, for magical purposes, and even for foretelling the future. By presenting them in a new translation, this book guides readers along an interpretive path aimed at untangling the dense web of symbolic correspondences that link the stones to beings from other realms of nature and to famous figures of myth. Preface by Davide Susanetti.