The magical and medicinal properties of beryl. Beryl - modest and attractive, worthy of attention
Beryl is a stone that is one of a kind. Due to its varied color range, the natural product has been known for a long time. He was famous among jewelers, and also with the help of stone they used to decorate church items. An amulet made of such a stone brings only happiness and protects its owner from diseases and other misfortunes.
History
The mineral has been familiar to people since ancient times, but every year the idea of it has changed. In ancient times, people were only familiar with beryl of a pale green color, which is slightly cheaper than emerald at a price.
After a certain period of time, different shades of stone appeared, and only 9 colors were in demand among jewelers. Not so long ago, the idea of a mineral has changed significantly, therefore it is perceived not as a whole mineral, but as a group of different ones.
Beryl stone can be found both single and in the form of druses (with a brush). Some of the most beautiful are the formations in the form of columns, which in cut look like a perfectly flat hexagon. Most of the stone has a transparent structure, but there are also crystals that include inclusions in the form of a star. The rarest is a crystal called cat's eye.
Description and deposit
The color range of the mineral is very diverse and you can see different stones, ranging from any shade of red, blue, green or purple. Due to the color range, the breed has many types, and the most famous are emeralds.
The stone has a characteristic glassy reflection, and all its fractures are uneven in shape. The stone is hard enough. The length of the raw mineral can be from a couple of centimeters to a couple of meters. Moreover, its mass can be several tons. In 1828 in Russia, namely in the Urals, scientists found a mineral that had a yellow color with a green tint, weighing 2.5 kg. In Dakota, rock was also found that was 8.5 meters in length, and the mass of the mineral was 61 tons.
It should be noted that large stones are of little value, so they are used, as a rule, to remove beryllium, which is used in a variety of modern technology.
The deposit of the rock is considered to be Russia, Ukraine, states, Namibia, South Africa, as well as Madagascar and Sri Lanka.
Views
- The most famous and expensive beryl is the emerald. It is valued similarly to diamonds, and sometimes even higher, due to its purity of color. As a rule, the color of the stone is green, but it can be of different shades. It all depends on the field. The most prized green emerald with a dark shade.
- Aquamarine. The color of the stone is similar to the sea wave. The cost of such a mineral is lower than that of an emerald, but not significantly. As a rule, the stone has a uniform color, but you can find a mineral in which the middle is golden and the top is blue.
- Rosterite is a colorless stone, sometimes with a little pink shades. Also of value in jewelry.
- Heliodor. Such material has a pale green color or rich in gold. This view can be completely transparent. The rock is found much less frequently than other types of stone.
- A rare, but not expensive stone called morganite. Its cost starts at $ 25 per carat, while the mineral will be an indistinct pink color. The deeper the red color, the higher the cost. A bright stone will start at $ 100 per carat.
Of course, the beryl stone, a photo of which can be seen below, has more varieties and every year the appearance of new species is possible. In the photo you can see the mineral aquamarine.
Where is used
The mineral is widely used for making jewelry. Professionals love to work with stone and it is a real pleasure for them to process such a mineral. Jewelry with the presence of a stone will have a high price, but remain in demand among their customers.
Transparent species have a high degree of light refraction. Therefore, beryl is often confused with diamond and only an experienced jeweler can identify these stones.
In industry, the mineral is used to obtain an oxide. Further, it is used for the production of lasers and X-rays. Also, beryl oxide is used in nuclear science.
Application in jewelry
It should be noted that not all types are used to make jewelry. Jewelers use only clear and completely transparent crystals, but color is equally important. It should be uniform and rich.
Many types of such stones lend themselves to heat treatment, because of this, crystals can be obtained with a brighter color and with unusual refractions. For example, yellow beryl gets an additional blue tint after processing. This color is often seen in antiques.
Beryl products are very different. This mineral lends itself well to organics. It can be given both a standard form and the most unusual one, but it all depends on the natural structure of the stone. As a rule, the material is used to make rings, pendants, bracelets and other jewelry. You can find necklaces and brooches in beryl museums.
The price of one stone varies depending on the mass, color and its properties. The most expensive are those with the least amount of cracks and other damage. It is not difficult to buy a product with the presence of a stone, since they can be found in almost any jewelry store, for every taste.
Magical properties
The properties of the gem are very diverse and there are both healing and magical properties, which will be presented below in the description. It should be noted that in the East, the mineral has always been used for rituals in the form of amulets. It was used as to protect people from evil eyes and misfortunes, and also with its help, damage was removed, and negative energy was suppressed.
The magical and healing properties of the crystal are as follows:
- The mineral, which has a yellow color with a greenish tint, as well as beige crystals, are able to normalize and restore the metabolism in the human body.
- The gem allows you to increase metabolism and promotes rapid recovery from illness.
- For a very long time, such a crystal was considered feminine, since its properties helped to cope with gynecological problems. A blue gem is very effective for this.
- Some believe that the crystal can heal any ailment of women. For example, bracelets with a gem can prevent diseases of the ovaries, as well as the genitourinary system. A ring with a crystal promotes the rapid treatment of diseases of the uterus.
- The owner of the stone significantly speeds up the process of finding his love.
- Any jewelry with beryl crystals protects the family from all sorts of temptations. Therefore, it is customary to give products to married couples.
- The gem will help people who have been married for a long time. It refreshes old feelings and passion.
- Amulets and talismans are created from the crystal, which bring good luck.
- The magical properties of the mineral allow you to put in order the thoughts of the owner, and also balance the feelings. In the East, the stone was used from madness.
- It is recommended to take the mineral with you on long and short journeys.
- Natural raw materials help to protect the owner from the negative effects of different energies.
- The crystal makes it easy to solve complex problems and questions. Scientists are advised to wear the product.
In addition to good properties, a natural product also has negative properties, which are that not all of its colors can be used. For example, green is a sign of a mature stone; it is better not to use it for people under 35 years old.
Who can wear the stone
Those people who prefer to work hard, then the mineral will just be a suitable assistant. It allows you to relieve fatigue and irritation. In addition, he will help lazy people. Mineral is able to cheer up a person and give a desire for work.
The main meaning of a gem is well-being. Therefore, it should be used by married couples, as well as people who want to start their own families. He helps to build relationships with children, parents, husband, wife. Helps maintain harmony and feelings. It also serves as a talisman for the family and removes negative thoughts and emotions that can be brought into the house after a hard day at work.
Determination of authenticity
Unfortunately, such a natural product is subject to frequent counterfeiting. Of course, each type of mineral has its own way of recognizing authenticity, but some similar features should be highlighted that are inherent in any beryl. It is thanks to its similarities that the original and the fake can be identified:
- A natural breed will have a characteristic transparency as well as an unusual sheen from the rays of light. No other stone has such shine, except for beryl.
- A transparent mineral undergoes color change when light is refracted.
- In the middle of any natural stone, there may be natural inclusions, but not gas bubbles.
Mineral beryl belongs to the silicate class. It contains ions of aluminum, oxygen, beryllium, silicon. However, the formula is not limited to these components, since it may additionally contain alkalis such as sodium, rubidium, lithium, iron, chromium, as well as water, gases (argon or helium). Beryl, whose properties are often determined precisely by these additions, can come in many colors. The stone itself has greenish or white crystals. If the mineral contains Fe2 +, then the crystals acquire a greenish-blue if Fe3 + - yellow (heliodor). Chromium salts give the thick green color inherent in emeralds, and manganese colors minerals pink (vorobyevite). There are also colorless crystals - goshenites.
The transparent crystals of the beryl varieties are of high value and are considered gemstones. From the rest of the mass of opaque rock, the layers of which can reach in thickness from several centimeters to several meters in length, beryllium metal is mined. The latter is used in the nuclear, space, automobile industries, etc.
What else is remarkable. The properties that determine its external attractiveness, in particular, shine in the sun and under artificial lighting, are determined by the fact that the crystals of the mineral have a prismatic shape with six faces. This allows you to create great jewelry from any of its varieties.
Who is beryl suitable for? which has been studied by astrologers for centuries, refers to female minerals rather than male. This is partly due to the fact that in ancient times women were treated with true beryl. Today, its use is limited to alleviating the condition of a person with back diseases, it is also used to improve metabolism (in Ayurveda), for colds and some gynecological diseases. In addition, beryl can give the one that possesses it, the loyalty of a man, the affection of children, good friends.
How to apply the properties of which sometimes appear from the most unexpected side? It is believed that jewelry with him will give a rich personal life and improve a career. Stones with a green and yellowish tint are good to take on vacation as talismans guarding on a journey.
If someone from your family is studying or teaching, we recommend giving him beryl (stone). The properties of this mineral are also expressed in the fact that it helps to develop intelligence, improve mental abilities. It will facilitate successful learning or knowledge transfer. No wonder it is considered the stone of philosophers.
From an astronomical point of view, natural beryl is recommended for wearing by Scorpios, as well as Libra and Gemini. Its colored varieties are suitable for other signs of the zodiac. It is not too expensive as it is. its deposits are numerous and are found all over the world. In Russia, it is mined in Transbaikalia and the Urals, and in the countries of the former USSR - in Ukraine and Kazakhstan. In addition, there are deposits in China, Afghanistan, India, USA, Brazil, Colombia, Madagascar, etc.
Beryl's journey from mines to counter is not easy ...
The collection of multi-colored beryls, even assembled from unrefined fragments of the mineral, amazes the imagination. The natural beauty of transparent crystals is mesmerizing. And although it is always significant, every lover of a semi-precious stone seeks to buy beryl. Because even a diamond, recognized as the "king" of jewelry, is in many ways inferior to beryl.
Gem-quality beryls are rare. Known since antiquity, they are mined in a few deposits scattered around the world. With many difficulties, beryls are extracted from the darkness of the earth's interior, sometimes with incredible difficulties they get to connoisseurs.
Many of the stones are bought dozens of times, settle for a long time in stone-cutting workshops, undergo serious changes in appearance (and sometimes filling), and only after long journeys through the secret world of human skill, hard work, ingenuity - as well as inhuman cruelty, greed and greed - are they recovered precious metals and freeze in showcases.
Physicochemical properties of beryl
- Mineral class: Silicates.
- Chemical formula - Be3Al2 (SiO3) 6.
- The crystals are shaped like a hexagonal prismatic crystal.
- Cleavage is imperfect.
- Crystal system: hexagonal.
- Transparency - from translucent to transparent.
- The shine is glassy.
- Mohs hardness - 7.5-8.
- Density - 2.75.
- Refraction or refraction period - 1.56-1.60.
- Fracture: conical, uneven.
- Is the mineral fragile ?: Yes.
Varieties of natural beryl
High-quality beryls of pronounced color have their own names and are highly valued. Well known:
Light green beryl with a clear golden hue. Heliodor can be a completely transparent stone with a faint yellow tint. The price of gem-quality stones is about $ 20 per carat. In deposits, the mineral is found less often than the more common varieties of beryl.
In the past, with strong demand for blue aquamarines, the heliodor was often thermally refined. Heating up to 400 ° C destroys the original golden color and gives the stone a blue tint.
The honey tint of the color of heliodor indicates the highest quality of the gem. Such stones are rare and are in high demand.
A rare and expensive stone. The price of gem-quality specimens of the palest pink color starts at $ 25 per carat. An increase in the red tone in morganite coloration means an increase in the value of the stone. A defect-free jewelry insert made of red-burgundy morganite, not too large, can be estimated at several hundred dollars.
In Europe and America, morganites are in greatest demand, the tones of which coincide with the color of garden berries. Stones of raspberry, cherry, strawberry, currant shades are traditionally popular on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. In the East, pale pink morganite is prized. In Russia, the gem may be called vorobyevite.
Goshenite, or colorless beryl, attracts attention with the discreet shine of a transparent stone. Goshenite is less valued as a jewelry material than dyed beryls. Nevertheless, headsets decorated with goshenite are in great demand: unlike diamond, colorless beryl does not scatter sheaves of multicolored glare around it. Jewelry with goshenite is strict and solemn.
Gemologists have noted other types of beryl that are less known to the general public.
Augustite- blue beryl, can cost up to $ 150 per carat. Due to the high price, it is often counterfeited. It tends to fade over time and under the influence of solar radiation.
Bazzite- blue beryl of low color intensity. A separate name was awarded in honor of the discoverer, who determined the high content of scandium in the mineral. In jewelry, it usually does not play a separate role, and is often used as ordinary beryl or aquamarine.
Bixbit- rare red beryl. A one-carat stone can cost up to 15 thousand rubles. Many people enthusiastically call bixbit red emerald, but the prevalence of crimson beryl is much less than beryl green. It is mined at the only deposit periodically flooded with groundwater.
Mashish beryl- a stone of dense blue color, named after a Brazilian city near a precious stone deposit. Its properties are very similar to augustite, although it fades much faster. The fragility of the color was the reason for the low price of the stone. Its production is considered unprofitable and is carried out extremely irregularly.
Pezzotite. Classification confusion is a phenomenon equally inherent in all branches of scientific knowledge. The beautiful pink mineral pezzotite has been considered a special kind of beryl for several years. Found in Madagascar, it amazed researchers with its brightness of color and fifteen percent concentration of cesium in the composition of the stone.
The chemical formula of pezzotaite makes it possible to classify it, like other crystallized aluminosilicates, as beryl, but the structural features of the stone exclude such a definition. In 2009, mineralogists were finally convinced that a pezzotaite crystal from any deposit, be it Madagascar or Afghan, is trigonal. While any mineral from the beryl group has hexagonal crystals.
Thus, Federico Pezzota, who found pink crystals in 2002, became the discoverer of a completely new mineral.
Rosterite- beryl, the color of which ranges from complete colorlessness to a pronounced pink color, and differs from other beryls in the high content of alkali metals among other impurities. In use and price it is similar to goshenite.
Esoteric Properties of Beryl
Over the thousands of years of using beryl as jewelry, people have learned to understand the power of the gem. It has been noticed that the stone does an excellent job with the role of the protector of the owner's welfare. One has only to put beryl in silver, and he begins to "guard" the acquired property no worse than a watchdog.
Beryl (especially intensely green) is even more uncompromising towards diseases. He does not know how to prevent diseases, and does not prevent their occurrence. However, a sick person, putting on an adornment with green beryl, feels an internal heat emanating from the stone and literally burning ailments.
Red beryls give a burst of strength and energy. Wearing red beryls especially affects the elderly. The gem significantly enhances the potential of an elderly person. He helps to get on his feet even after a serious illness.
Beryls of blue shades harmonize the patient's state of mind. Obsessive states, anxieties, neuroses and psychosis disappear faster if the complex of treatment is supplemented with aquamarine lithotherapy. For a healthy person, contemplation of the facets of a bluish stone means purification of thoughts, a decrease in the degree of feelings, an increase in the ability to be creative.
There is not a single zodiac sign that beryl is contraindicated. This stone is able to help every sign, isolating from the stellar forces co-directed with human ones, and suppressing the influence of dark energies.
However, astrologers consider beryl to be the talisman of the air signs. Libras and twins can wear any kind of beryl to their advantage. However, it is in October that this stone gains its full power. Beryl, worn in the fall, spreads its beneficial effect throughout the next year!
Beryl is one of the best gems. It has crystals that resemble a prism. Beryl stone is distinguished by a variety of colors and purity. Photos of beautiful minerals will allow you to choose a suitable specimen.
This stone is mentioned in ancient manuscripts. Archaeologists still find amulets, rings, beads and talismans from a similar mineral. Its unique properties make beryl one of the best jewelry.
An excursion into the history of a unique stone
Beryl was known even before our era. The name of the stone was given by the ancient Greeks. In ancient Egypt, valuable minerals were mined in the Namibian desert. The resulting raw materials were sent to Persia and India.
In nature, beryls are born in pegmatite veins and in places of mountain destruction, in placers.
In Russia, during the reign of Peter I, the Urals were considered the storehouse of gems. On its territory in the 19th century, yellow beryl was found, which weighed 2.5 kg. It is still kept in St. Petersburg in the museum of the Mining Institute.
This stone became especially popular in the Middle Ages. It was used to decorate various items from church use. Beryl was also used to create seals, pendants and rings. Optical glasses were produced from the colorless mineral.
Interesting! Mineral sizes can vary from small to huge.The largest finds include an 18-meter stone weighing 380 tons, which was found in Madagascar.
Beryl properties
The beryl stone is of extraordinary value. The photo shows different options. The properties and value of this stone deserve special attention.
This stone is characterized by the following properties:
- Brittle, since it is easy to split.
- Aesthetics and glassy luster.
- Resistant to acids.
Beryl is used to create pendants, bracelets, rings and earrings. There are many antiques made of this type of stone: necklaces, brooches and tiaras.
Interesting! Transparent types of stones have high light refraction rates. This stone looks like a real diamond, and only a specialist will see the difference.
How to care for a stone?
Jewelry with proper care can last for a long time. They can be hereditary, serve as talismans and be a family heirloom.
Beryl is fragile, so it doesn't need to be dropped or hit Gentle care involves knowing the following rules:
- Beryl is fragile, so it doesn't need to be dropped or hit.
- If the stone is framed in gold, which has lost its luster, then you need to wash the product with a neutral solution. For this, a composition is prepared from water and ammonia in a ratio of 1 to 10. Soap is added to the mixture, which does not contain dyes.
- Silver items can be cleaned with dry baking soda powder. After cleansing, the jewelry is rinsed in warm water.
It is better to store the stone in a closed case and wrapped in a cloth. You need to clean the mineral no more than once a month with a brush and warm water. After the procedures, the product should be wiped dry with a towel.
How to distinguish a fake?
Jewelers and other gem specialists have no difficulty in determining the authenticity of a stone. The natural mineral has inclusions that are characteristic of this variety. If a stone looks completely clean under a microscope, then it is unlikely to be natural.
If a stone looks completely clean under a microscope, then it is unlikely to be natural. Real beryl has the following features:
- Transparency with a characteristic gloss.
- Transparent minerals are less prone to discoloration.
- Various natural inclusions are found in crystals.
- After cutting, beryls are subject to refraction of light rays, which allows you to achieve the effect of a cat's eye.
Interesting!There have been many attempts to produce artificial beryl in the laboratory. In the 1960s, a complex beryl with a synthetic coating was obtained by the hydrothermal method in Austria. In the 90s, artificial pink beryl was created, but it differs from natural stone in its titanium content.
Beryls are created by nature to bring beauty and harmony. Certain gemstones have a positive effect on human health and mood.
A bit of chemistry and geology
By its composition, beryl is an aluminosilicate of a rare light metal beryllium. Its chemical formula is Be3Al2 (SiO3) 6. Beryl forms transparent prismatic crystals, hexahedral or with a multiple of six faces. The color of beryl can be different depending on the small impurities it contains. A very rare variety of beryl, colored with chrome in a bright green color, is emerald. Colorless beryl has its own name, rosterite, greenish-blue is often called aquamarine, because of the similarity of its color to the color of transparent sea water. Golden beryl bears the name heliodor ("carrying sunlight"), pinkish - sparrow, or morganite.
Beryl of Gilgit, Pakistan
Photo: Wikipedia
Beryl is considered a symbol of loyalty and love, a talisman that guards the family hearth. At the same time, it is believed to be magically associated with the intellect, is a professional talisman for philosophers and researchers, and aquamarine is also a stone of seafarers. This stone is also credited with a number of medicinal properties. Healers of the unorthodox direction believe that it protects against diseases of the stomach and liver, relieves toothache, and strengthens vision. I will not judge which of these judgments are true, but the fact that the gentle tones of the stone are very conducive to peace of mind, I affirm with this responsibility.
Beryl is not such a rare mineral. It crystallizes during the cooling of the granite magmatic mass containing beryllium, and sometimes its crystals are very large, downright gigantic. In 1910, a completely transparent broken off aquamarine crystal was found in Brazil, 48 cm long and 41 cm across. Its weight was 110.2 kg. What was the size of the crystal when it was intact is anyone's guess. In the state of Connecticut (USA), geologists met beryls up to 2 m long, and in some parts of Spain, door frames were made from solid hexagonal crystals.
Beryl. Length over 12 cm. Volodarsk-Volynskoe pegm. field, Ukraine
Photo: A. A. Evseev
However, due to its exceptional beauty, beryl is a very popular material for jewelry. Many of its varieties are classified as second-class gemstones. Beryl is a very hard mineral, second only to diamond and corundum in this indicator.
A. Ushakov's book about precious stones, written in 1862, tells about various beryls mined in the Urals:
“In the villages of Murzinka and Shaitanka, 100 versts from Yekaterinburg, there are high-quality beryls. Beryl from the first deposit is mostly wine-yellow, greenish and bluish (aquamarine), and beryl from Shaitanka is either completely colorless or already painted in a pale pink color; in the museum of the Mining Institute there is a completely transparent yellowish-green beryl from the vicinity of Murzinka, which is five and a half vershoks (24.4 cm) long and six and a half vershoks (28.9 cm) wide; this remarkable crystal weighs 6 pounds 11 spools (2.5 kg) and is priced at 42,830 r. from ourselves we add that this crystal was mined on November 19, 1828, 3 versts from the village of Alabashki at a depth of 4 sazhens in the so-called Startsevoy pit. In the future, this hole did not produce very large, good crystals. "
Already in the XX century. beryl deposits were discovered in Ukraine, in the labrodarite massifs of the Zhytomyr region. There are very beautiful aquamarine crystals weighing up to 15 kg.
Shard of the sea wave
Let's return, however, to the book of Efremov. The novel "On the Edge of the Oycumene" consists of two parts, the only link between which is the fate of the stone. The first part is called "The Journey of Baurjed", the second - as well as the entire dilogy "On the Edge of the Ecumene." The first part is set in Ancient Egypt during the era of the construction of the pyramids. It tells the story of a traveler who set out on the orders of the pharaoh on seven ships far south along the coast of Africa. After returning home many years later, Baurjed, among other wonders, brought to Egypt an amazing greenish-blue stone, which was mined somewhere on the southern outskirts of the African continent.
Aquamarine from Pakistan
Photo: Wikipedia
During the absence of Baurjed, the political situation in Egypt changed, the pharaoh who sent him was killed, and no one appreciated the feat of the brave travelers. The priests of Thoth (the god of wisdom and patron of sciences) sympathetic to Baurjed decided to keep the curiosities collected during the expedition (including beryl). They hid them in their temple, and the great journey was consigned to oblivion.
About two millennia pass between the action of the first and second parts. The hero of "On the edge of the Oycumene" is the young Hellenic sculptor Pandion, striving to learn how to reveal all the beauty of the human body (the full flowering of the culture of Hellas is still ahead, and Efremov's Pandion, an innovative artist, is one of the harbingers of this coming prosperity). To get acquainted with the works of art of other peoples, a young Hellene goes on a trip to the Mediterranean, but he has no luck. He is captured and is a slave in Egypt, far from the seashore.
Red beryl (17mm crystal from Utah)
Photo: Wikipedia
Pandion does not leave the thought of running away and returning to his homeland. One day he meets an Egyptian who was sold into slavery for a terrible crime: the robbery of ancient temples. When Ahmose (that was the name of the Egyptian) learned that he was going to be sent to the gold mines, from where no one returned, he left Pandion his only treasure, carefully guarded from overseers - an amazing blue stone he found in the abandoned temple of Thoth. The stone could not be sold as it did not belong to the jewelry known to Egyptian jewelers. Ahmose kept him and considered him a talisman. Looking into its transparent depths, he felt his involvement in ancient secrets, and recalled the brave travelers, whose adventures he read on the walls of the temple. Ellin saw in beryl a symbol of the sea, which for him was inextricably linked with his home:
“A flat piece of stone with rounded edges was the size of a spearhead. It was hard, extremely pure and transparent, its color seemed blue-gray in the pre-dawn gloom.
Pandion put the stone on his open palm into the opening of the entrance, and at that moment the rising sun flashed. The stone was transformed - in the palm of Pandion it lay, full of brilliance, its bluish-green color was unexpectedly joyful, light and deep, with a warm tint of transparent golden wine. The mirrored surface of the stone was polished, apparently by the hand of a man.
The color of the stone reminded Pandion of something close, its reflection warmed the oppressed soul of the young man. The sea - yes, this is exactly what the sea is far from the coast, at the hours when the sun is high in the blue of a cloudless sky. Nutur ae is a divine stone: that is how unfortunate Ahmose called it.
A miraculous flash of a crystal in the middle of a bleak morning seemed to the young Hellen as a happy omen ... Pandion believed that the stone would serve as a guarantee of his return to the sea. The sea, which does not deceive, will return its freedom and homeland to it. The young Hellene plunged his gaze into the transparent depth of the stone, from which waves emerged from the native shores ... ".
It so happened that Pandion's path to his homeland lay bypassing the desert across half of Africa. No matter how hard it was for him, the gentle glow of blue beryl inspired him with confidence that he would see the waves of the sea again. Traveling across Africa, the Hellene saw many outlandish animals, met many African tribes. Everything he saw was deeply imprinted in the soul of the artist. One day, he got to the edge where diamonds were found. The hard diamond, shattered into pieces, was the ideal tool for the finest stone carving, and Pandion decided to create a gem of unprecedented beauty - a miniature bas-relief on a stone. On a transparent bluish-green beryl, he carved a figurine of his beloved girl. It turned out that she was standing and waiting for him on the seashore. On the other side of the edge, Pandion portrayed himself and two of his comrades, with whom he made his way to freedom - the Negro Kidogo and the Etruscan Kavi. Over the years of testing, the sculptor learned a lot, and he managed to do something that was not possible before. He managed to show the beauty of a person in its entirety.
The talisman did not deceive Pandion. He returned home. Saying goodbye to his Etruscan friend, who still had a long journey to his homeland, he presented him with his talisman. The further path of beryl remains outside the novel. But in the prologue to the first part of the book, he is seen by a young sailor who came with his girlfriend to the Hermitage:
“Suddenly, a spot of a wonderful bluish-green color appeared in front of the girl's eyes in the third showcase, so bright that it seemed to emit its own light. The girl led her companion to the window. A flat stone with rounded edges was attached obliquely to the silvery velvet. It was extremely pure and transparent, its brilliant bluish-green color was unexpectedly joyful, light and deep, with a warm shade of transparent wine. On the smooth, apparently polished hand of a human, the upper face stood out clearly carved human figures the size of a little finger.
The color, brilliance and luminous transparency of the stone stood out sharply among the gloomy severity of the hall and the pale colors of the autumn sky.
The girl heard the noisy sigh of her companion, saw his eyes, clouded by the memory.
Such is the sea in the south on clear weather, at noon, ”said the young sailor slowly. The unyielding confidence of an eyewitness sounded in his words. "
In the most famous museum in Leningrad, South African beryl with antique gem came from a burial found somewhere in the Kiev region.
Elven stone
Efremov was not the only writer who gave beryl a special place in his work. In Tolkien's famous trilogy "The Lord of the Rings", beryl is a stone beloved by elves, their constant companion. In the first part of the trilogy, the elf Glorfindale leaves beryl on the road as a good sign for his friends. The Colobrod tracker who found him immediately realizes that this is a friendly message:
“He held out his hand, and in the open palm the hobbits saw a radiant light green stone.
He lay right in the middle of the bridge, - explained Kolobrod.- This is elven beryl, such stones do not just roll on the road. In my opinion, this is a sign that you can get through here. "
It is later revealed that Kolobrod is none other than Aragorn, heir to the throne of Gondor, a powerful principality that opposes the Dark Lord. One of Aragorn's names is Elessar, which means "elven beryl". He got this name because he chopped off his cloak with a beryl brooch, a gift from an elven princess.
Tolkien, unlike Efremov, associates beryl not with the sea, but with a forest stream or spring leaves. About the gem presented to Aragorn, it is said that it "shone in the sun, like spring itself in young foliage." Probably, slightly different shades of stone were favorites of these two writers, but both of them recognized a special, incomparable charm for beryl.