sard and sardonyx

sard and sardonyx

 translucent, light- to dark-brown varieties of the silica mineral chalcedony, historically two of the most widely used semiprecious stones. Sard and its close relative carnelian have been used in engraved jewelry for centuries. Sard (from Sardis, the ancient capital of Lydia) was originally called sardion, which included both sard and carnelian until the Middle Ages. Except for crystal, it is the oldest known name for a silica mineral. One locality famous as a source of sard is Ratnapura, Sri Lanka. Bands of sard and white chalcedony are called sardonyx, which at one time was more precious than gold, silver, or sapphire. Sardonyx is widely used in cameos and intaglios. Its properties are those of quartz (see silicate mineral [table]).

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Sardonyx — Sar do*nyx, n. [L., fr. Gr. ?. See {Sard}, and {Onyx}.] (Min.) A variety of onyx consisting of sard and white chalcedony in alternate layers. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • sardonyx — /sahr don iks, sahr dn /, n. a chalcedony that is used for cameos and has sard and chalcedony of another color, usually white, arranged in straight parallel bands. [1300 50; ME < L < Gk sardónyx; see SARD, ONYX] * * * …   Universalium

  • sardonyx — sar•don•yx [[t]sɑrˈdɒn ɪks, ˈsɑr dn [/t]] n. mir jew an onyx composed of layers of sard and chalcedony of another color, usu. white: used as a gem and to make cameos • Etymology: 1300–50; ME < L < Gk sardónyx; see sard, onyx …   From formal English to slang

  • Sardonyx —    (Rev. 21:20), a species of the carnelian combining the sard and the onyx, having three layers of opaque spots or stripes on a transparent red basis. Like the sardine, it is a variety of the chalcedony …   Easton's Bible Dictionary

  • sardonyx — n. type of onyx having alternating orange brown sard and white chalcedony arranged in straight aligned bands (was used very much in the past in making cameos) …   English contemporary dictionary

  • sardonyx —   n. onyx with alternate layers of sard and other mineral …   Dictionary of difficult words

  • sardonyx — [sär dän′iks, sär′də niks] n. [ME < L < Gr sardonyx < sardios, SARD + onyx, ONYX] a variety of onyx made up of alternating layers of white chalcedony and sard, used as a gem, esp. in making cameos …   English World dictionary

  • silica mineral — Any of the forms of silicon dioxide (SiO2), including quartz, tridymite, cristobalite, coesite, stishovite, melanophlogite, lechatelierite, and chalcedony. Various kinds of silica minerals have been produced synthetically. * * * Introduction… …   Universalium

  • Chalcedony — A cut and polished Chalcedony geode General Category Oxide mineral Chemical formula …   Wikipedia

  • sar|do|nyx — «SAHR duh nihks», noun. variety of onyx containing layers of sard: »The engraved carnelian and sardonyx rings that fashionable Greeks wore on their toes…had swivel mountings, so that the center was reversible (New Yorker). ╂[< Latin sardonyx… …   Useful english dictionary

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