The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1916-03-02
MAGICAL POWER OF JEWELS.
The History of Many Legends OF
Precious Stones.

barbarous, there has been universal
admiration for stones of unusual col
oring and rarity. Conversely, there
have always been surerstitions that
have caused certain other stones to
be regarded with aversion. Even in
our own day it is possible to buy at
almost any book stall works that Will
tell of the extraordinary properties
of this jewel or perils of that. Thus
the opal has been considered bringer
of ill luck to all except those born in
the month of October, and the pearl
is said to pine away and lose its lus-
ter upon the death of one who has
long worn it.
George Frederick Kunz, historian
and epic writer of the lapidaries, who
has already published a volume or
two full of interesting information
about jewels, collected many of the
legends and has sought to explain at
least their probable origins. Hand
ling his subject with the acute in
terest of the true connoisseur, he
has produced a remarkable blend OF
ancient lore and modern information.
."To certain stones has been attri-
buted the power to produce musical
tones" he says, ''the most famous
examples being the so-called Vocal
Memnon' of Thebes. This colossal
statute was said to emit melodious
sound when the sun rose, and &C
cording to Greek legend this sound
was greeting given by Memnon to
his mother, the Dawn. 1t appears,
however, that the statue was re-
spector of persons, for when the En-
peror Hadrian presented himself be-
fore it he is said to have heard it
but once, or at most twice, while oc-
casionally the statue withheld its
greeting altogether.
"a modern traveller relates per-
sonal experience that may cast a
sidelight upon this matter. His visit
to Thebes was made in the evening,
but a fellah who standing near the
statue asked him whether he wished
to hear the musical sound. Of course
the reply was in the affirmative.
Thereupon the man climbed up the
side of the colossal figure and had
himself behind the elbow. In mo-
ment sharp metallic sounds became
audible; not a single sound, but sew
eral in succession.
knowing from their quality that
they could not proceed from the
stone, the traveller asked his donkey
boy for an explanation and was told
that the man was striking an iron
bar. In ancient times the priests
probably performed this or similar
trick in a much more skillful way
than did the poor fellah, so that the
mystery of the statue was carefully
guarded.
1.-The River Hydaspes was said to
furnish a musical stone When the
moon was waxing this stone gave
forth melodious sound. This
should be understood in the sense
that when the stone was struck at
that season the sound was different
from what it was at other times-a
fanciful idea based on some supposed
sympathy between the stone and the
moon.
Gas moonstones are rarely larger
than silver dollar, they would not
emit sound upon being struck, and
it is probable rock known as
*chickstone' (phono1ite) that is re-
ferred to, an ingenious rock, very
hard and resonant, that has been
found in elongated and fiat pebbles
of large size; they ring with the res
onance of bells when struck.
"The term sarcophagus is to us so
clear and precise in it's significance
that we do not stop to think that its
etymology reveals it as literally
meaning body-devourer. Tradition
taught that a stone of this type was
to be found near Assos in Lycia, Asia
Minor, and also in some parts of a
living person it would eat away the
flesh.
Another type, already noted by
Theophrastus in the third century b.
c., had the power of petrifying any
object placed within receptacles made
from it. If dead person were bur-
ier in a 'sarcophagus of this material
the body would not be consumed,
but would, on the contrary, be turn
ed to stone, even the shoes of the
corpse and any utensils buried with
it, would undergo like wonderful
change"
AS to stones and the weather.:
IAN old Mohammedan tradition,