DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.3044#0208
AGATE, ONYX, SARDONYX 193
Agate, Onyx, Sardonyx (hardness 6.5-7.0)
Agate, onyx and sardonyx are colored varieties of fibrous chalcedony, which is composed
of hard silica. The principal difference between these three stones is the form and color of the
banding. Agate shows spots or alternating and parallel dark and light layers. In onyx and sard-
onyx the bands are straighter and heavier. These two stones are distinguishable in that onyx has
light colored bands and those of sardonyx may be red, brown or black. The different kinds of
chalcedony blend into each other in infinite gradations, and drawing hard and fast distinctions
is often difficult.
p
Agate derives its name from the river Achates in Sicily and is reported to come from E-
gypt , Arabia , Cyprus and Turkey. Spot checking several beaches on the north, east and
south of Crete failed to reveal the occurrence of any banded chalcedonies. Onyx and sardonyx
are also well known in Egypt and Arabia.
Seals in these materials generally show very good to excellent workmanship. In early Cret-
an seals there is no evidence that the devices exploit the banding of the stone. Although most
of the banded, mottled and spotted chalcedonies are identified here as agate, this stone accounts
for only three percent of the total of seal materials. Onyx and sardonyx are much rarer. With
few possible exceptions, agate, onyx and sardonyx do not appear to have been used prior to
MM II.16
Amethyst, infra 197-198
Bone, infra 195-196
Carnelian and Sard (hardness 6.5-7.0)
Carnelian is a translucent, reddish chalcedony. Brown carnelian is called sard. Carnelian is
17 18
well documented from several spots in southern Arabia and Egypt . Sard is probably also ob-
tainable in Egypt. Forbes notes further sources in eastern Turkey and northern Iran. Many
carnelians are, upon close examination, finely banded, and plain carnelian is actually relatively
rare. About one percent of early Cretan seals are in carnelian. Sard occurs much less frequently
than carnelian. Both materials appear to come into general use in MM II.
Chalcedony (hardness 6.5-7.0)
As previously noted, chalcedony is the general name applied to hard fibrous varieties of
silica (quartz). Chalcedony also refers to a semiprecious stone which is milky, greyish or light
blue in color and which is either evenly colored or blotchy. When blue, it is sometimes called
saphirine. Chalcedony is translucent, but it is sometimes nearly opaque and Boardman infers that
it may be confused with white jasper, which is also opaque. Chalcedony may be similar in ap-
pearance to milky quartz or marble. Occasionally the various chalcedonies are whitened on the
surface, which hinders identification.24 The identification of chalcedony in ancient texts is prob-
lematic and offers little help in localizing ancient sources, but modern research documents the
occurrence of this stone in Chios, Egypt and southern Arabia.
Early Cretan seals are known in mottled (twenty-eight examples), translucent, blue (nine)
and opaque, white (two) chalcedony. This material accounts for about two percent of the early
Agate, Onyx, Sardonyx (hardness 6.5-7.0)
Agate, onyx and sardonyx are colored varieties of fibrous chalcedony, which is composed
of hard silica. The principal difference between these three stones is the form and color of the
banding. Agate shows spots or alternating and parallel dark and light layers. In onyx and sard-
onyx the bands are straighter and heavier. These two stones are distinguishable in that onyx has
light colored bands and those of sardonyx may be red, brown or black. The different kinds of
chalcedony blend into each other in infinite gradations, and drawing hard and fast distinctions
is often difficult.
p
Agate derives its name from the river Achates in Sicily and is reported to come from E-
gypt , Arabia , Cyprus and Turkey. Spot checking several beaches on the north, east and
south of Crete failed to reveal the occurrence of any banded chalcedonies. Onyx and sardonyx
are also well known in Egypt and Arabia.
Seals in these materials generally show very good to excellent workmanship. In early Cret-
an seals there is no evidence that the devices exploit the banding of the stone. Although most
of the banded, mottled and spotted chalcedonies are identified here as agate, this stone accounts
for only three percent of the total of seal materials. Onyx and sardonyx are much rarer. With
few possible exceptions, agate, onyx and sardonyx do not appear to have been used prior to
MM II.16
Amethyst, infra 197-198
Bone, infra 195-196
Carnelian and Sard (hardness 6.5-7.0)
Carnelian is a translucent, reddish chalcedony. Brown carnelian is called sard. Carnelian is
17 18
well documented from several spots in southern Arabia and Egypt . Sard is probably also ob-
tainable in Egypt. Forbes notes further sources in eastern Turkey and northern Iran. Many
carnelians are, upon close examination, finely banded, and plain carnelian is actually relatively
rare. About one percent of early Cretan seals are in carnelian. Sard occurs much less frequently
than carnelian. Both materials appear to come into general use in MM II.
Chalcedony (hardness 6.5-7.0)
As previously noted, chalcedony is the general name applied to hard fibrous varieties of
silica (quartz). Chalcedony also refers to a semiprecious stone which is milky, greyish or light
blue in color and which is either evenly colored or blotchy. When blue, it is sometimes called
saphirine. Chalcedony is translucent, but it is sometimes nearly opaque and Boardman infers that
it may be confused with white jasper, which is also opaque. Chalcedony may be similar in ap-
pearance to milky quartz or marble. Occasionally the various chalcedonies are whitened on the
surface, which hinders identification.24 The identification of chalcedony in ancient texts is prob-
lematic and offers little help in localizing ancient sources, but modern research documents the
occurrence of this stone in Chios, Egypt and southern Arabia.
Early Cretan seals are known in mottled (twenty-eight examples), translucent, blue (nine)
and opaque, white (two) chalcedony. This material accounts for about two percent of the early