[Sca-cooks] Precious stones to ward off evils

Sharon R. Saroff sindara at pobox.com
Tue Nov 27 06:15:06 PST 2007


A number of years ago I did a research paper on bead lore.  I 
compiled information on every stone I could think of.  Only part of 
my research went into the paper.  I remember that blue stones 
protected againxt the evil eye.  Lapis was the favorite in the Middle 
East.  Blue eye beads were also a favorite.  I am more than willing 
to e-mail information to anyone interested. It won't be before next 
week though since I have a beadwork show on Saunday to prepare.

HL Sindara

At 07:03 AM 11/27/2007, you wrote:
 >I have done some research on jade, particularly as I wanted to use it
 >as part of my heraldic title.  Jade appears to have been encountered
 >first by the Spanish in the Americas in the 15th century, where it was
 >used as a specific against kidney disease.  Because of this, the
 >Spanish called the stone "ijada de piedra" or "stone of the kidney."
 >The French began use of the stone in jewelry after that and
 >transliterated the name into French...can't remember the French
 >equivalent.  It then passed over the Channel into English as "jade."
 >This would have been the semi-precious jade, nephrite, which is what
 >is mined in the Americas including central and South America as well
 >as Alaska.  I don't know of any instance, even close to period, of
 >precious jade, jadeite, in Europe. This stone is found in China and in
 >southeast Asia.  All of the ceremonial jade implements in China were
 >nephrite jade...and it was referred to as the "Stone of Heaven."  The
 >character/kanji for Emperor is, interestingly enough, the same as jade
 >(a single vertical stroke with three horizontal strokes) with a single
 >dot added on the bottom crosswise stroke.
 >
 >Kiri
 >
 >On Nov 27, 2007 2:12 AM, Stefan li Rous <StefanliRous at austin.rr.com> wrote:
 >> Suey replied to someone:
 >> <<<
 >> > Be that as it may there are some stones that are relatively region
 >> > specific, jade is specific case in point.
 >> >
 >
 >> Jade appears to have been unknown in Europe and would have had to
 >> have been imported in period. So it might well be the opposite of
 >> what you detail. From the A-Lapidary-art file I mentioned earlier:
 >>
 >> "jade  and turquoise  do not appear in the lapidaries."
 >>
 >> Of course this is based on only four lapidaries and there could be
 >> other problems as highlighted by Agnes deLanvallei:
 >> The contents are freely "translated" by me, combining the 4
 >> lapidaries, possibly adding errors of interpretation.  This is
 >> consistent with the work of the Medieval translators (especially
 >> Manucript B above), whose translation of French or Latin works into
 >> English was in places very badly done.
 >>
 >> Stefan
 >>
 >
 >--
 >Learning is a lifetime journey
growing older merely adds experience to
 >knowledge and wisdom to curiosity.
 >                    -- C.E. Lawrence
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Sharon R. Saroff, M.S.Ed.
Special Education Consultant/Parent Advocate
S.E.D.R.A., Inc.
410-961-2739
www.mydisabilityresource.com
info at mydisabilityresource.com




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