New evidence emerald production in Roman Egypt

[guy]

Pliny the Elder, in his The Natural History, discusses emeralds in his chapter on smaragdus [emeralds], the Latin term for the green stone.

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Indeed there is no stone, the colour of which is more delightful to the eye; for whereas the sight fixes itself with avidity upon the green grass and the foliage of the trees, we have all the more pleasure in looking upon the smaragdus [emeralds], there being no green in existence of a more intense colour than this.

Pliny mentions Egypt being the site for their mines

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In the case, however, of the stones of Scythia and Egypt, their hardness is such, that it would be quite impossible to penetrate them. 

 

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0137%3Abook%3D37%3Achapter%3D16

 

Now we have evidence of an actual beryl mines in Egypt. Well-known beryl minerals include emeralds and aquamarine. 

 

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 The study of the underground structures presents in Sikait and the surrounding areas allowed the documentation of several beryl mining spaces.

https://www.ancientpages.com/2021/04/16/emerald-production-in-eastern-desert-of-roman-egypt-new-evidence/

 

Summary: This is an interesting use of archaeologic evidence to confirm the ancient literature. Interestingly enough, Pliny the Elder has this to say about Nero's use of emeralds:

Quote

 When the surface of the smaragdus [emerald] is flat, it reflects the image of objects in the same manner as a mirror. The Emperor Nero used to view the combats of the gladiators upon a smaragdus [emerald].

 

 

 

Edited March 2, 2022 by guy