CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CULTURAL HISTORY OF EMERALD IN EARLY INDIA
CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CULTURAL HISTORY OF EMERALD IN EARLY INDIA
Author(s): Gyula WojtillaSubject(s): History, Language and Literature Studies, Cultural history, Geography, Regional studies, Studies of Literature, Middle Ages, Lexis, Historical Linguistics
Published by: Akadémiai Kiadó
Keywords: Arthaśāstra; aśmagarbha; marakata; masāragalva; ratnaśāstra; tārkṣyaratna; emerald; gemmology;
Summary/Abstract: The present paper offers a complete inventory of authoritative passages in Sanskrit and Prakrit texts on gemmology and Sanskrit lexicons where emerald is dealt with. Fresh light is thrown on the hotly debated issue whether the description of beryl in the Arthaśāstra II, 11, 30 contains an indirect reference to emerald. The Sanskrit names of emerald are analysed and commented on. Texts revealing the history of emerald and its origin are put to the test, and the evident mistakes prevalent in the special literature are corrected. Finally, a peculiar belief on the magic power of emerald is analysed within a wider context.
Journal: Acta Orientalia Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae
- Issue Year: 65/2012
- Issue No: 4
- Page Range: 463-478
- Page Count: 16
- Language: English
- Content File-PDF