Note 2 — Chapter LXXVII
P. Le Page (Peter Le Page) Renouf translation
Green gem of the South . This has generally been understood as representing the green feldspar of which many objects in our museums are made. But Dümichen (Zeitschr., 1872) has shown that the ‘of the East’ is a synonym of Māfkait, emerald, and M. Naville has referred to Pliny, who (Hist. Nat., XXXVII, 17) speaks of the Egyptian emeralds ‘qui eruuntur circa Copton oppidum Thebaidis in collibus, ex cautibus.’ The same author quotes Juba in reference to Ethiopic gems as being ‘alacriter virides, sed non facile puri aut concolores.’
