The Book of Minerals and Precious Stones is the first complete translation into a Western language of the Lapidary by Zakariyyā al-Qazwīnī, a section of the encyclopedia of natural history bearing the title Aǧā’ib al-maḫlūqāt wa ġarā’ib al-mawǧūdāt (meaning The Wonders of Creation and the Oddities of Existence). Composed around the second half of the 13th century, and more commonly known in the West as Cosmography, al-Qazwīnī's treatise is one of the most popular works of Islamic medieval literature, as proved by the numerous extant manuscript copies found in libraries worldwide. In this section of the work, al-Qazwīnī discusses the therapeutic virtues, harmful effects, and occult properties of over one hundred and fifty minerals, including metals, precious gems, and oily substances. He weaves together an encyclopedic mosaic that incorporates Arab traditions of Aristotelian philosophy, ancient alchemical knowledge, Hippocratic-Galenic traditions, Islamic medicine, and anecdotes drawn from various literary sources. The author's perspective on the astonishing properties of minerals reflects Islamic thought, which sees the ingenious architecture of nature as a tangible evidence of divine omnipotence.
Il libro dei minerali e delle pietre preziose (da "Le meraviglie del creato e le stranezze degli esseri")
Ammar, M.
2023-01-01
Abstract
The Book of Minerals and Precious Stones is the first complete translation into a Western language of the Lapidary by Zakariyyā al-Qazwīnī, a section of the encyclopedia of natural history bearing the title Aǧā’ib al-maḫlūqāt wa ġarā’ib al-mawǧūdāt (meaning The Wonders of Creation and the Oddities of Existence). Composed around the second half of the 13th century, and more commonly known in the West as Cosmography, al-Qazwīnī's treatise is one of the most popular works of Islamic medieval literature, as proved by the numerous extant manuscript copies found in libraries worldwide. In this section of the work, al-Qazwīnī discusses the therapeutic virtues, harmful effects, and occult properties of over one hundred and fifty minerals, including metals, precious gems, and oily substances. He weaves together an encyclopedic mosaic that incorporates Arab traditions of Aristotelian philosophy, ancient alchemical knowledge, Hippocratic-Galenic traditions, Islamic medicine, and anecdotes drawn from various literary sources. The author's perspective on the astonishing properties of minerals reflects Islamic thought, which sees the ingenious architecture of nature as a tangible evidence of divine omnipotence.
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