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Textual Sources:

“A Medieval Book of Magical Stones: The Peterborough Lapidary.” Google Books. Accessed September 2024. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=eOU9DQAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PR11&dq=medieval%2Blapidaries%2B&ots=suxRI4clb_&sig=AkHcN1RUFUfy3GmLg2OuRxxTVU8#v=onepage&q=medieval%20lapidaries&f=false.

  • The text “A Medieval Book of Magical Stones: The Peterborough Lapidary” explores the unique attributes of the Peterborough Lapidary, a medieval text that catalogues various stones and their associated magical properties. The authors delve into the historical context of the lapidary tradition, illustrating how these texts served both practical and mystical purposes in medieval society. The Peterborough Lapidary is presented as a blend of scientific observation and folklore, detailing not only the physical characteristics of gemstones but also their purported abilities to heal, protect, and influence human behavior. This work emphasizes the role of lapidaries in shaping medieval understandings of the natural world, serving as reference guides for physicians, scholars, and practitioners of magic. By documenting the lore surrounding stones, the Peterborough Lapidary reflects the cultural and spiritual beliefs of its time, providing insight into how medieval people navigated the complexities of the material and supernatural realms.

Davenport, Tony. “Jewels and Jewellers in ‘Pearl.’” The Review of English Studies 59, no. 241 (2008): 508–20. http://www.jstor.org/stable/20184729.

  • Tony Davenport’s article examines the significance of jewels and jewellers in the medieval poem *Pearl*, highlighting how the text engages with themes of wealth, beauty, and spiritual value. While the primary focus is on the representation of jewels within the poem, Davenport contextualizes this within the broader tradition of lapidaries, discussing how gemstones are often imbued with symbolic meanings that reflect both material and moral qualities. He notes that the references to jewels in *Pearl* can be seen as part of a historical practice where lapidaries described not only the physical attributes of stones but also their associations with virtues and their uses in adornment and religious contexts. Davenport argues that the portrayal of jewels in *Pearl* serves to illustrate deeper themes of loss, remembrance, and the transcendent nature of beauty, suggesting that lapidary traditions inform the poem’s exploration of the relationship between the earthly and the divine. The article ultimately reveals how jewels function within *Pearl* as symbols of both earthly desire and spiritual aspiration, reflecting the multifaceted purposes of lapidaries in medieval literature.

Beinert, Richard A. “Windows on a Medieval World : Medieval Piety as Reflected in the Lapidary Literature of the Middle Ages.” Memorial University Research Repository, January 1, 1970. https://research.library.mun.ca/6990/.

  • Richard A. Beinert's thesis explores the role of lapidary literature in reflecting the religious and cultural values of medieval piety. Beinert examines how medieval lapidaries cataloged the properties of stones, not only for their physical characteristics but also for their spiritual and moral significance. The texts described how stones were believed to possess healing powers, protective abilities, and connections to divine forces, reflecting the medieval view that the natural world was imbued with sacred meaning. Beinert highlights the dual purpose of lapidaries: they served as practical guides for healers and clergy while also reinforcing religious beliefs by associating gemstones with virtues, biblical events, or saints. The thesis argues that lapidary literature functioned as a window into medieval spirituality, blending natural science with devotion and providing insights into the ways medieval society interpreted the material world through the lens of faith.

Holler, William M. “UNUSUAL STONE LORE IN THE THIRTEENTH-CENTURY ‘LAPIDARY OF SYDRAC.’” Romance Notes 20, no. 1 (1979): 135–42. http://www.jstor.org/stable/43798569.

  • William M. Holler's article analyzes the *Lapidary of Sydrac*, a 13th-century text that presents unique and sometimes unconventional beliefs about stones. Holler explores how this lapidary diverges from other medieval lapidaries by incorporating unusual lore about gemstones, particularly in relation to their medical and magical properties. The *Lapidary of Sydrac* catalogs various stones, emphasizing their practical applications in healing and protection, much like other lapidaries of the period. However, it also includes fantastical claims, such as stones with the power to grant invincibility or influence human behavior, reflecting a blend of scientific knowledge, folklore, and mystical thought. Holler discusses how lapidaries like this one were used not just as guides for healers and scholars but also as repositories of cultural beliefs, merging natural philosophy with symbolic interpretations of the material world. The purpose of such texts was to provide a comprehensive understanding of stones' potential, serving both as practical manuals and as vehicles for the transmission of myth and tradition.

KITSON, PETER. “Lapidary Traditions in Anglo-Saxon England: Part I, the Background; the Old English Lapidary.” Anglo-Saxon England 7 (1978): 9–60. http://www.jstor.org/stable/44510700.

  • Peter Kitson’s article delves into the lapidary traditions in Anglo-Saxon England, offering an extensive examination of the historical background and the *Old English Lapidary*. Kitson traces the origins of lapidaries from classical sources, highlighting their transmission into medieval England through Latin texts. He discusses the use of lapidaries in Anglo-Saxon society, where they were valued not only for cataloging the physical characteristics of stones but also for detailing their purported magical and medicinal properties. The *Old English Lapidary* reflects this tradition, focusing on how gemstones were believed to cure illnesses, protect against harm, and hold spiritual significance. Kitson emphasizes that these texts served both educational and practical purposes, guiding physicians, scholars, and clergy in understanding the natural world’s potential for healing and protection. Lapidaries, therefore, functioned as a crucial bridge between empirical observation, folklore, and early medieval medicine.

ŠEDINOVÁ, HANA, and Kamila Panešová. “Stones in the Ancient and Early-Medieval Medicine Scripts.” Listy Filologické / Folia Philologica 123, no. 1/2 (2000): 31–39. http://www.jstor.org/stable/23467728.

  • Šedinová and Panešová's article investigates the role of stones in ancient and early medieval medical practices, with a focus on their treatment in medical scripts, including lapidaries. The authors trace how ancient texts described stones’ therapeutic properties, which were integrated into early medieval medical traditions. They explore the ways lapidaries cataloged stones not just for their aesthetic or symbolic value, but for their practical use in healing. These texts were often used by physicians and healers to guide the application of stones in treatments, such as for fevers, wounds, or spiritual ailments. The article highlights the continuity of this tradition, showing how lapidaries served as important references for understanding the intersection of medicine, natural history, and mystical beliefs about the powers of nature in both the ancient and early medieval periods.

Riddle, John M. “LITHOTHERAPY in the Middle Ages...: Lapidaries Considered as Medical Texts.” Pharmacy in History 12, no. 2 (1970): 39–50. http://www.jstor.org/stable/41109991.

  • John M. Riddle's article explores the use of lithotherapy—the belief in the healing properties of stones—during the Middle Ages, with a particular focus on lapidaries as medical texts. Riddle traces the history of lapidaries from their classical origins to their medieval adaptations, noting how these texts cataloged gemstones and detailed their medicinal functions. In medieval lapidaries, stones were believed to have therapeutic properties, often based on their color, composition, or association with astrological signs. Riddle argues that these texts served as practical guides for physicians and healers, reflecting the broader medieval understanding of natural philosophy and medicine. The article highlights how lapidaries functioned not only as compilations of lore but also as serious medical manuals that blended empirical knowledge with mystical and symbolic interpretations of nature.

OVERBEY, KAREN. “Seeing through Stone: Materiality and Place in a Medieval Scottish Pendant Reliquary.” RES: Anthropology and Aesthetics, no. 65/66 (2014): 242–58. http://www.jstor.org/stable/24871254.

  • In this article, Karen Overbey examines a medieval Scottish pendant reliquary, focusing on the interplay between materiality, place, and religious meaning. Overbey analyzes how the physical properties of the reliquary, especially the use of gemstones, contribute to its function as a sacred object that mediates between the divine and earthly realms. She explores the significance of stones in medieval Christian practice, suggesting that their visual and tactile qualities were central to the experience of devotion. Overbey also contextualizes the reliquary within broader traditions of medieval art and relic veneration, highlighting how material culture was embedded in notions of place and identity. The article offers insight into the intersections of aesthetics, materiality, and religious practice in the medieval world.
    • While the article primarily explores the physical and devotional aspects of the reliquary, it touches on the broader medieval tradition of gemstones, which overlaps with the lapidary tradition. Overbey considers how the visual and tactile qualities of the stones used in the reliquary contributed to its sacred function, echoing ideas found in lapidaries that described the spiritual and protective properties of gemstones. This suggests that lapidaries, with their detailed accounts of stones' material and symbolic qualities, played a role in shaping how these objects were perceived and used in religious contexts, linking the reliquary’s material composition to its devotional efficacy.

Walton, Steven A. 2001. “Theophrastus on Lyngurium: Medieval and Early Modern Lore from the Classical Lapidary Tradition.” Annals of Science 58 (4): 357–79. doi:10.1080/000337900110041371.

  • Walton’s article explores the historical and scientific context of lyngurium, a mythical stone from the classical lapidary tradition. He traces the origins of this gemstone, first described by Theophrastus, and its enduring presence in medieval and early modern European writings. Lyngurium was believed to have been formed from the solidified urine of the lynx, a notion that persisted despite skepticism from early modern naturalists. Walton examines how lyngurium was discussed in the context of medical and magical properties attributed to gemstones, revealing broader intersections between science, myth, and natural history in this period. This work is essential for understanding the transmission of classical knowledge into medieval and Renaissance thought, particularly in relation to the symbolic and cultural significance of gemstones.
    • He traces the origins of lyngurium from Theophrastus' *On Stones* and examines its place within the tradition of lapidaries—texts that cataloged gemstones and their properties. These lapidaries served as a means of transmitting both scientific and magical knowledge about stones, often blending natural history with myth. Walton discusses how lapidaries were used not only to describe the physical characteristics of gems but also their supposed medicinal and magical functions, reflecting the intersection of material culture and intellectual traditions. The article highlights the longevity of these ideas, showing how the mythical attributes of lyngurium persisted even as natural philosophers questioned their validity.

Images:

Cameo with Hercules and the Nemean Lion within a Garland. ca. 1220–40. Sardonyx with modern gold frame, Overall: 1 5/8 x 1 7/16 x 5/16in. (4.2 x 3.6 x 0.8cm). Cameo with Hercules and the Nemean Lion within a Garland [38.150.23]. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. https://jstor.org/stable/community.16003355.

Intaglio with Saint Theodore Teron Slaying a Many-Headed Dragon. 1300 or later. Agate, Overall: 1 5/16 x 1 x 1/4in. (3.4 x 2.6 x 0.6cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art. https://jstor.org/stable/community.16003931.


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