Contents
INTRODUCTION
Precious Stones - A Historical Trinket?
Precious Stones in the Past: An Unexplored Mine
1) THE FOSSILIZED PAST AND THE MEDIEVAL INHERITANCE
Foundations: The Birth of Magic and the Lapidary Tradition in the Ancient World
The Medieval Inheritance: The European Intellectual Tradition
A Clean Slate: Britain and Precious Stones
2) 'SERMONS IN STONES': THE RELIGIOUS DIMENSION
Stones and Religion in the Middle Ages
Reforming Stones: Intellectual Culture, the Reformation and Precious Stones
Cast Aside: Reformed Stones in the Reformation
3) MAGICAL GEMS: STONES AS MAGIC
What is Magic?
The Magus' Jewels: Stones in 'High Magic'
Natural Gems or Devilish Charms? Magical Mechanics and Explanations
The Magical Continuum: The Uses of Stones by British Practitioners
4) MEDICAL JEWELS: STONES AS MEDICINE
The Background to Early Modern Medicine
The Place of Precious Stones in Learned Medicine
Empirics, Stones and the Competitors to Physicians
Lay Medicine, Books and Precious Stones
The Use of Precious Stones Amongst the Rich and the Poor
5) MINED FOR KNOWLEDGE: STONES AND SCIENCE
Science and Stones in the Sixteenth Century
Scepticism and Reappraisal
Disbelief and Disapproval
The Aftermath
CONCLUSION
APPENDIX: PRECIOUS STONES IN THE BIBLE
The High Priest's Breastplate
The Foundation Stones of Heavenly Jerusalem
BIBLIOGRAPHY
iNDEX
