[Sca-cooks] Precious stones to ward off evils

[Stefan li Rous]

Bear talked about diamonds in period:

<<< High quality, natural octahedral diamonds are rare and are  
therefore very
costly.  Pliny's comment is "The diamond, known for a long time only to
kings and then to very few of them, has a greater value than any  
other human
possession, and not merely than any other gemstone."  From this, I  
assume
Romans did not generally wear diamonds because they could not afford  
them
and the idea that diamonds are cheaper than other stones because they  
lack
polish is false.

Diamond cutting increased the supply of available diamonds.  European
diamond cutting appears to begin in Venice between 1330 and 1350.  >>>

Thanks for the wonderful info.

<<<
>    Perhaps I should list the stones authors claimed that were in  
> use in
> 15th  Spain and see what you know about them, ok? In that case please
> bear with me its like May here in the southern hemisphere, first
> communions, graduations, weddings and parties before the summer  
> holidays
> commence. That is why my responses are a bit tardy.
> Suey

Fine by me, but we might wish to take this off list since we are getting
away from cooking. >>>

Well, if you do, could you please CC me on the messages? Some of them  
would make good additions for the Florilegium. As many of Bear's  
messages do.  Whatever mail list is appropriate for such discussions  
is likely not one I am on. Sometimes I really wish the Rialto hadn't  
almost disappeared. Personally this discussion is a lot more  
interesting to me than Sweeney Todd, whoever he is.

Stefan
--------
THLord Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
    Mark S. Harris           Austin, Texas           
StefanliRous at austin.rr.com
**** See Stefan's Florilegium files at:  http://www.florilegium.org ****