The lapidary arts
The virtues of stones from Pliny to the medieval lapidaries, the seven planetary metals, stones of the planets and months, working safely with stones, engraved talismanic gems, quartz and the crystal ball, and crystals in modern practice.
7 lessons · about 1.5 hours of reading · 1 free
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Two thousand years of books on the virtues of stones, from Theophrastus and Pliny to the medieval lapidaries.
Gold, silver, quicksilver, copper, iron, tin and lead — the planetary metals, their lore and their safe use.
The high priest's breastplate, the birthstones, and how stones came to belong to planets.
Choosing, cleansing, charging and using stones — and which ones need care.
The magical gems of late antiquity, the medieval image-books, and making an engraved talisman today.
The family of quartz, the ancient idea of crystal as eternal ice, crystal balls from Anglo-Saxon graves to John Dee — and what piezoelectricity does and doesn't mean.
The crystal movement since the 1970s, what the evidence says, treatments and fakes, and how to buy stones well.
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