Vashon Island news-record. [volume] (Vashon, Wash.) 1919-1954, 1926-10-01
GEN CALLED ENEMY
OF GRIEF AND WOE
Sardonyx Also Associated
With Religion.

The sardonyx. the natal stone for
August, is the gem OF self-conlrol. II
is symbolic of matrimonial bliss, and
according TO ancient belief, girls born
In August will never marry If they
fail to wear this stone. The sardonyS
Is under the heavenly Leo Of the
Zodiac, the sign of sensation and feel
ing, and TO II is attributed the power
of banlshing grief and woe. As late
as the Middle gges sardonyx was used
as a remedy for scrofula and other
skin diseases, and even today Il Is
employed In Persia as cure for
epilepsy.
This stone was first made fashion
able in Rome by Sclplo Afrlcanus, tbs
elder, two centuries before Christ
who, it Is said, believed In It's spirit.
ual virtue. Throughout its history
sardonyx has been associated with re
liglon, for 1t was one Of the stones
In the breastplate Of the ancient He
brews and IL mentioned In Reyela-
tons US forming part Of the foun
dalton of the holy city The ancient
Egyptians carved from this stone the
sacred scarab which was sign of
their religion, much In the same way
as the cross is the symbol OF Chris
tlanlty.
sardonyx is a variety of chalcedoulc
quartz composed OF different colored
layers. In It's cummonest form 1t ex
hlbits sard reddish brown in color
alternating with white chalcedony, the
latter formerly called onyx. This
stone. however, not lnfrsquently dis.
plays as many as four or i've colors.
and by artificial processes lasting and
pleasing color effects may be had In
the yssious shades OF yellow, red.
brown and orange. This artistic dis
play Of colors makes Il highly desir
able for cameo manufacture. since the
different layers are utilized appropri
ately in the thished engraving. Many
Of the famous cameos OF history are
cut from this stone. IN oldgu times
the requirements for a hlgh-gade snr
donyx cameo was hlack base for hu
mility, a white zone for virtue and 4
layer OF red ar brown for feariessness.
but many Of the latter cnmeos cut lu
this stone display ns many as Ave dif
fefeutly celored zones. The largest
known sardunyS cameO, hye-layer
stone, L. by 10 Inches, was Formerly
In the possession of Cardinal Car
pegna, but Is now ln the Vatican at
Rome, The famous sainte Chapelie
II b. 10 inches. The second larges.
sardonyx cameo. was also a nyc-layer
stone This cameo now 60 ihe BlblIo-
theque Rationale at Pnris, WAS long
thought to typiy the triumph Of 10
saph IN Egypt and was regarded Is o
sacred relic
Perhaps the most famous stone
cnmeo in history Yves slrdonyx upon
whlch queen Elimheths portrait was
cut According iotudIuon. this eameo
WIS req Do tla iamous ring which she
gave the arl 70 EsaN as pledge Of
her friendship When sentenced to
death Essex sent this ring 10 his
cousin Lady scro9r, DO deliver to-
Enzlbeih liy mistake he messenger
gave lle ring 90 lady ssroops sister
Countess Nottingham an enemy Of the
earl the yeugaul countess did not de
liver the taiismlulc rims end In con.
sequence tae iated eHrl was executed.
The Countess Nottingham confessed
this act OF vengeance 20 Elizabeth
when the couutess was on her death
bed, which, according to The enron
iclers of Elzahetls NE history. SO
Infatuated the queen that She shook
the dylng nobiewoman. saying God
may forgiye sou. but ! cannot