TOURMALINE: ARRIVAL OF SPECIMENS IN LONDON: THE ASH ATTRACTOR: THE “ELECTRIC STONE” OF LINNÆUS: THE “MAGNETIC” OF LEMERY: EXPERIMENTS OF ÆPINUS AND LEHMANN: PROFESSOR GOODCHILD’S EXPERIMENT: SUSPECTED CONNECTION OF THE TOURMALINE WITH ORIENTAL ALCHEMY: COLOURS OF THE TOURMALINE: THE TOURMALINE AND THE TOPAZ IN METHYLENE IODIDE: IDENTIFICATION SUGGESTIONS: PLINY’S LYCHNIS: THE CADUCEUS OF HERMES: TURQUOISE: SAXO AND ALBERTUS MAGNUS ON ITS VIRTUES: THE PIRUZEH OF THE ARABIANS: THE CHALCHIHUITL OF THE MEXICANS: IDENTIFIED WITH PLINY’S CALLAIS: A FAVOURITE ORIENTAL CHARM STONE: A SYMBOLIC THEORY OF ORIGIN: STONE OF THE HORSE AND RIDER: A RELIGIOUS GEM OF JUPITER: A CHARM AGAINST THE EVIL EYE: A SENSITIVE STONE: MISTAKES OF WRITERS: MEDICINAL VALUES: TURQUOISE SET IN STATUES OF BUDDHA: THE GOLDEN BOW AND TURQUOISE ARROW: GEM OF THE GODS: COLOUR CHANGES IN TURQUOISE: TURQUOISE AND THE WEATHER: INDIAN RAIN-STONE: KING TOHESER AND THE TURQUOISE MINES: MAJOR C. MAC DONALD AND PROFESSOR FLINDERS PETRIE DISCOVER THE OLD TURQUOISE WORKINGS: LOVE OF THE TURQUOISE IN OLD EGYPT: SOME UNIQUE STONES: THE GEM IN PERSIA: THE KHORASSAN MINES: STONE OF FASHION IN 17TH CENTURY EUROPE: DEATH STONE OF JAMES IV OF SCOTLAND: HENRY VIII SENDS A LAST GIFT TO CARDINAL WOLSEY: MARBODUS’S TURQUOISE TALISMAN OF FREEDOM: DIFFERENCE BETWEEN “DE VIELLE ROCHE” AND “DE NOUVELLE ROCHE”: VARISCITE: IDENTIFIED AS THE CALLAINA OF PLINY: MANÉ ER H’ROCK OR FAIRY ROCK OF BRITTANY: ZIRCON: STONE OF THE MOON’S NODES: THE SNAKES OF THE CADUCEUS.

TOURMALINE

The Tourmaline, written in the 18th century in England as Tumalin, is derived from the Ceylonese TURMALI or TORAMALLI. The first specimens to arrive in London were known as “Brazilian Emeralds,” and they came from Brazil in the 17th century only to meet with an unfavorable reception. In the beginning of the 18th century Dutch merchants began to bring from Amsterdam specimens obtained by them from Ceylon. The Dutch cutters, observing how straw and other particles were attracted to specimens which had been lying in the sunlight, called the stone in consequence Aschentrekker (ash attractor). The Germans called it Azchenzieher, and the French Tire-cendre.

The Swedish scholar LinnÆus experimented with the Tourmaline, calling it the “Electric Stone.” M. Lemery, the French Professor, called it the “Magnetic.” The experiments of Æpinus and Lehmann were concerned with the positive and negative energies exhibited by the Tourmaline. These 18th century scholars held that its power of repulsion exceeded its power of attraction. This sensitive stone is affected by weather changes, and it exhibits considerable power when heated—the electricity then developed being termed pyro-electric. Professor W. Goodchild, M.B., etc., details an interesting experiment in dealing with the Physical Properties of Gem Stones:

"A crystal of tourmaline, in heating to 150° C., becomes positively electrified at one terminature and negatively at the other. If now it be suspended by a non-conducting thread it will act as a magnet: on cooling, the charges on the poles reverse, positive becoming negative. If a crystal with such a charge be dusted with a fine mixture of sulphur and red lead, the yellow sulphur will be attracted to the portions charged with positive electricity, while the red lead goes to the negatively charged portions."

This experiment serves to illustrate the attraction of the mind (represented by yellow sulphur), towards the positive pole, and matter (represented by red lead), towards the negative pole, as noted in the philosophical researches of the old alchemists. If in a heated state, the tourmaline be shattered all the little pieces will exhibit the forces of attraction and repulsion so marked in this strange stone. It has been suspected, not without reason, that tourmaline specimens werewere used by some of the Eastern students of alchemy who held primarily that the substance of the Philosopher’s Stone is Mercurial and that it should be treated with heat, for by that means alone would its use be shown, warmth coming from the Heavens to bless Man, Nature, and the Kingdoms of Nature.

The tourmaline is remarkable also for the variety of its colours, indicated by various and not always appropriate names. SCHORL, the black variety spoken of by Ruskin, was so called according to De Costa (1761) by the German miners. The same writer says “our English miners call them ‘bockle’ and ‘ball’.” The name appears as shirl, schirl (so spelt by De Costa), schoerl, shorl. In the 16th century it was known in Germany as SCHRUL, but later in the 18th century it appears as SCHORL. The name is now becoming unpopular, the simple term Black Tourmaline being preferred. The colourless variety is termed ACHROITE, from a Greek word meaning colourless; pink and rosy red are termed RUBELLITE; indigo blue, INDICOLITE; blue, BRAZILIAN SAPPHIRE; green, BRAZILIAN EMERALD; yellow-green, BRAZILIAN PERIDOT; honey-yellow, CEYLON PERIDOT; red violet, SIBERITE. The brown variety is usually known as Brown Tourmaline, although it has been known and still is known as Brazilian Topaz or Ceylonese Topaz. It is not so hard as the topaz, however, ranging in the scale somewhere between quartz and zircon. The refractive powers are likewise not in agreement, and in Methylene Dioxide the topaz (stone of Mars) sinks, whilst the Tourmaline (stone of Mercury) floats. There are also amber-coloured, cinnamon, lilac, grey, blue-grey, water-green and many beautiful parti-coloured specimens.

It is believed by some students that this gem was known to the ancients by the name LYNCURIUM, which Mr. King believes to be a species of jacinth, Dr. Brotero an orange-coloured hyacinth. Professor Ajasson, believing the name to refer to Tourmaline, suggests that LYN may be derived from the Sanscrit word LANKA, the name of Ceylon, a place where the stone is plentifully found. The general opinion now is that the stone described by Pliny under the name of LYCHNIS is our tourmaline. Pliny writes in his 37th Book on Natural History of the power of the LYCHNIS of drawing straws and fluff towards it when heated by the sun or by the friction of the hand.

The peculiar attractive and repulsive properties of the tourmaline may be compared with the mysteries contained in the caduceus of the wise and ever-restless Hermes. The symbolical snakes which adorn the rod represent knowledge received and knowledge imparted in the hermetic scheme of the Rosicrucians. The tourmaline is symbolical of wisdom, strength of mind, eloquence, learning and the power of knowledge. It is the stone for the author, poet, editor, and teacher. To dream of it means—in harmony with ancient philosophy—success through knowledge in all walks of life.

The tourmaline in all colours is under the zodiacal Gemini.

TURQUOISE

“Turquoise” has been written in a remarkable number of ways, amongst them being turky, torkey, turquay, turkey stone, turkie, turkeis, turkese, turkise, turkes, turkas, turkis (as used by Tennyson), turkoise, turkez, turqueis, turques, turchis, turquesse, torchas, turcasse, turquez, toorkes, turkesse. The Venetians call it turchesa, the French turquoise, the Germans turkis. Andrea Bacci (“De Gemmis et Lapidibus pretiosis,” etc., 1605) says that this stone is called Turcicus, “Either on account of its admirable loveliness or for the reason that it is obtained from the Turks.” The name as we have it does not seem to go further back than the 13th century when Saxo, agreeing with Albertus Magnus, writes of it and praises its virtues as a preventive of accidents to the eye. The old Persians called it PIRUZEH, the Triumphant, and the Arabians, whose special luck stone the turquoise is, engrave on specimens the name “Allah” with a verse from the Koran, or with some magical sign inserted in pure gold. It is known to the Mexicans as CHALCHIHUITL. This stone is identified with the Callais of Pliny, who relates symbolically that it was shot down by means of slings from unapproachable rock lands. The symbol has relation to the power of this stone of the Heavenly Archer over seemingly terrifying obstacles when firmly directed by the compelling will.

The turquoise is favoured by Eastern occult students who employ it largely in the composition of amulets and charms. It was said to have sprung up like an eye from its matrix, and is identified with the Antares in the Archer of the Heavens. These stars were indicated as affecting the eyes in the same degree as the Pleiades and the Asselli of Taurus and Leo. In modern Egypt a turquoise is applied to the eye as a remedy for cataract and other ophthalmic troubles, specimens thus employed being usually engraved with the sacred name of Allah. The turquoise is especially the stone of horses, mules and camels, and from most ancient times specimens have adorned their trappings. Leonardus said that so long as a horseman carried a piece of turquoise with him whilst riding he would never have an accident, nor would his horse be fatigued, for it was believed that the stone would draw the pain of the accident to itself. Boetius de Boodt says that when riding to his house along an uncertain road on a dark night he fell with his horse down a declivity but neither he nor his animal suffered hurt. His turquoise, however, was shattered. The stone was carried by jockeys, huntsmen and horsemen generally as a symbol of the special protection of Jupiter. In the Middle Ages the turquoise was much worn by young girls who regarded it as a religious jewel for the protection of their virtue and for the uplifting of their thoughts. In the most ancient science the sign Sagittarius—the house or mansion of the planet Jupiter—is the sign of sport, horses, dreams, high philosophy, religion (not in the sense of creed), the true lamp of life, long voyages, publications (not newspapers), etc. Thus the turquoise—as the stone of Sagittarius—was a stone of dreams, the horse, philosophy, religion, etc., and its grand symbolic purpose was to help the spiritual person to resist the weakness, evils and temptations so intermixed with material life. The turquoise was said to be a charm against the evil eye and evil thoughts. The Arabs say that the stone is sensitive to weather changes and that its colour is affected by the state of the atmosphere. They knew Jupiter as the “Cloud Gatherer,” “The Thunderer,” “The God of the Murky Cloud,” etc., and they connected the turquoise with his powerful works. The planet Jupiter strong at birth is held to indicate riches and worldly advantage. The old Arabian writers note a form of magic for inducing wealth and monetary advantages, performed in the hour of Jupiter. During this ceremony a turquoise was held in the right hand and the desires spoken into the stone at which a steady gaze was directed.

Carelessness has led to error amongst writers. A 16th century author confuses the topaz with the turquoise, describing the latter as a “gem of yellow colour” and recommending it as a charm against the bites of reptiles and stings of insects—qualities ascribed by the old masters to the topaz, gem of the sign of the Scorpion. Another writer repeats the error, saying that “this yellow stone reduced to a powder is helpful in case of stings from scorpions and fearful and venomous reptiles.” The turquoise was held in esteem for diseases of the hip—a part of the body astrologically under the sway of Sagittarius. In this connection the stone was reduced to a paste and bound flat to the part affected, whole specimens being bound above and below the seat of the trouble. The turquoise contains a high percentage of Phosphoric Acid, which is employed in modern homoeopathy for affections of the lungs, astrologically under the sign Gemini and therefore opposite to the sign Sagittarius. The ancients advised the turquoise as a lung medicine, not to be taken internally. The sign Sagittarius is also the sign of prophecy, and the turquoise set in the foreheads of the statues of Buddha and other images symbolizes the knowledge of things to come. The golden bow and the turquoise arrow of the Tibetan legend has especial reference to the Sun in the sign Sagittarius. Dr. Kunz, quoting from Dr. Berthold Laufer of the Field Museum, Chicago, refers to this legend as follows:

“A powerful saint touching the bow and arrow of a blacksmith transforms the bow into gold and the arrow into turquoise.” The bow represents the solar rays and the arrow the Heavens, hence it is little wonder that the turquoise was termed the “gem of the Gods.” The turquoise was also recommended for diseases of the throat and heart—as phosphoric acid is today in Homoeopathy. In harmony with an ancient astro-philosophy known as “Planetary Interchanges,” the turquoise was considered an ideal lovers’ gift—unless the stone was otherwise than fortunate in the horoscope of the recipient—and a gift of friendship.

The changes of colour in a turquoise have been long noted, and the lines of the poet Donne are frequently quoted:

Boetius tells a story of a wonderful turquoise possessed by a Spanish gentleman which so lost its colour after his death that it appeared “more like a malachite than a turkois.” Boetius then says that his father bought it for very little at the sale of the Spaniard’s effects and gave it to him. He relates that he had hardly worn it for a month when “it resumed its pristine beauty and daily appeared to increase in splendour.” Mr. Harry Emanuel gives a somewhat similar story concerning a turquoise that lost its lustre with the death of its owner “as if mourning for its master,” regaining it in its “former exquisite freshness” when worn by its new owner. A case of this kind came under the writer’s notice: The wife of a well-known pastoralist of New South Wales had a bangle of turquoises cut into the shape of Egyptian scarabs. While travelling in Japan she became ill and the stones changed from a soft blue to a dull green, regaining their former beauty when the lady regained her health. One of the oldest firms of jewellers in the city of Melbourne, Australia, was worried to find that an exquisite Persian turquoise entrusted to them to mount in a tiara with diamonds was changing colour whilst in the hands of their chief “setter.” This craftsman had been complaining for some days of indisposition. Strangely enough, the gem regained its beautiful colour on being entrusted to another and healthier workman.

The connection of the turquoise with weather changes is not confined merely to Oriental peoples. The Pueblo and Apache Indians employ it as a rainstone, which they say is always found concealed at the foot of the rainbow. They place pieces of turquoise on their bows and fire arms as directing charms for trueness of aim.

This stone is also called the “gem of liberty and benevolence,” and an old Eastern proverb says: “A turquoise given with the hand of love carries with it true fortune and sweet happiness.” Another Eastern belief runs that the turquoise turns pale when danger threatens the giver. Felton in his “Secrete Wonders of Nature,” 1569, states that “the turkeys does move when there is any peril prepared to him that weareth it.” Dr. E. A. Wallis Budge identifies Tcheser of the 3rd dynasty (3900 B.C.) who built the “Step Pyramid” at Sakkarah as the Memphian King who worked the turquoise mines of Sinai. His name is still perpetuated on a rock at Wadi Magharah. It was at this place that Major C. MacDonald found turquoise in 1849, and Professor Flinders Petrie in 1905. Professor Petrie also discovered evidences here of very ancient mining operations. Archaic specimens of worked turquoise are still being found in Egypt. The colour appealed to the sons and daughters of Khem who imitated it to a very great extent in their scarabs, beads, ornaments and other articles of adornment. In the Vatican collection there are valuable intaglios and cameos cut in this stone which in some instances retain their heaven-blue colour to this day. Mr. King mentions a laureated head of Augustus and the Head of a Gorgon in the Fould collection, “the original azure converted into a dull green by the action of the earth.” In Persia the stone was always highly esteemed and the most perfect specimens are held by the Royal House. The Khorassan mines near Nishapur are still famous for the remarkable beauty of the stones won from them. So fashionable was the gem in Europe in the 17th century that no true gentleman would consider his dress complete unless his hand was adorned with a ring of Turquoise, for it was (as a true stone of the Archer) symbolic of the fairness and high sense of justice of the wearer. The famous turquoises in the Royal Jewels of Spain were brought from New Mexico somewhere about this period also. Sir Walter Scott in “Marmion” sings of the turquoise ring and glove which the French Queen sent to the Scottish King James IV, with 14,000 crowns of France, begging him for the love she had for him to raise an army for her sake. It is a curious fact that the turquoise was the death stone of James IV who was killed at Flodden Field by an arrow from an archer’s bow. The turquoise was to him a symbol of error and fatality. Henry VIII sent the dying Cardinal Wolsey a ring of turquoise by Sir John Russel, bidding him say to his fallen favourite that he, the King, “loved him as well as ever he did and grieved for his illness.” For a talisman of liberty and freedom Marbodus advises that a perfect turquoise be engraved with a man standing under a beetle. It should be then set in a brooch of gold and blessed and consecrated; “then the glory which God hath bestowed shall manifest.” An astrological charm for wealth and prosperity takes the form of a centaur firing an arrow upwards, to be engraved on a turquoise, preferably in the hour of Jupiter with the Moon in good aspect to Jupiter passing the 3rd and 4th degrees of Sagittarius.

True turquoise, termed “de vieille roche,” or Oriental Turquoise, differs from the fossil turquoise or Odontolite, called “de nouvelle roche,” or occidental turquoise. Fossil turquoise can be easily marked by a steel instrument, while true turquoise acts as flint to steel. A drop of Hydrochloric acid causes effervescence in fossil turquoise, which when submitted to fire gives out an animal odour. Fine turquoises are of that heavenly blue colour known as “turquoise blue,” and they present a waxy appearance. The variety known as Variscite, supposed to be the Callaina of Pliny, is a soft green stone found in various forms in prehistoric graves near Mane er H’rock or Fairy Rock in Brittany, in the State of Utah in the United States of America, and other places.

The turquoise is under the zodiacal Sagittarius.

ZIRCON. The name zircon is said to be derived from the Arabic ZIRK, a jewel. It was known in the Sanskrit as RAHURATNA or stone of the Nodes of the Moon (Caput draconis and Cauda draconis), called the dragons of Solar and Lunar eclipses. These dragons were controlled by the magical power of Mercury and may also be compared to the snakes of the Caduceus. The Zircon is a transparent to opaque stone and has been noticed more fully under the names JARGOON and HYACINTH.

The Zircon is under the zodiacal Virgo.