Topaz (Hastings' Dictionary)

In four passages of the OT (Ex 28" 39'», K/.k 28", Job 28'") the Heb. word n-<-zs [t ra- phutuiii] is rendered ' topaz ' by AV and RV, in accordance with LXX To-n-a^iov and Vulg. topazius. The other ancient VSS varj- their rendering, Pesh. using l-ii'l, Pr^^, and |Zi i 1 iir^. whilst Targ. has lin: and kji: x'^pp. The LXX and Vulg. also employ roTrdftov, topazion, as representing tp at Ps 1 1'.i'-'' ; but the Pesh. there contents itself with the vague term ' precious stones,' and the Targ.

, still more correctly, (<ii3iK(Gr. «/3pufov). In the NT the tojiaz is mentioned but once (Rev 21^), as the ninth of the foundation stones of the New Jeru- salem. The two passages in Ex. name it as the second stone in the lirst. row on the high priest's breastplate, and it is usually believed to have borne the name of Simeon. The comparison used in Job implies its costliness, and indicates the ([uarter from which it was chiefly derived : ' The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it [wisdom].'

In Ezek. the wearing of it is a mark of regal siihiidour : ' Every precious stone was thy [the kinf,'sj cover- ing, the sardiuM, topaz,' etc. There is a fair amountof probability in the derivation of the Hel). name .tis? from the Sansk. pUa, ' yellow,' and in the suggestion that the Gr. form and those derived from it are merely a transposition of the Heb., i p d ioT p ( d. Codex Amiatiuus in Rev 21'*' spells the word with a d, topadius.

The question whetlier the topaz of the Bible is identical with our gem of tliat name has Ijcen rendered somewhat ditKcuIt by the well-known descriptien of the stone in Pliny, Hist. Nat. xxxvii. 8 — * Et;ro^na etiam nunc sua topazio iflorU est, • Ttrenti ^cnere, •t cum prirnum reperta est, pnolata) omnibus. Accidit in Arabia) inBula, quuj Cytia vocabatur, in quam duvenerant Tro^lodytao pruidonea fame et tcmpcstato (e8.>^i, ut, cum herbofl radi('cg(|ue lodcrent, erucrunt topazinn.

llc Arc/ietai scn- lontia est. Julia Topazum insulam in Uubro man a continenti BtudiiH ccc abussc dicit ; tiebuIo«am et ideo quauiitAm H^epiiia navi^'untibus nomen ex ca rausa accepissc, topazim enim TroKlo- dytarim lin^^xia Bigniflcationem baoere quiurendL . . Eauem ■Ola nobiiium liniam ecntit. We need not discuss the etymology : the two important points are the greenness of the gem and its softness.

The first of these is not fatal to the identification, seeing that we know of green topazes ; the second is. Pliny may have included the chrysolite and the peridot under this name. Yet it does not follow tliat all the ancient miner- alogists agreed with him. It would not be easy to lind a more apt description of our topaz than in the lirst few words of Strabo's interesting account, reur/pa^iKd, xvi.

— A/fI«f a Im iiK^tttfie, x^vccuiU ItwcXoifjuean ^iyycft eccr fjnB' r,tAi^r IMt »u fiito liitr irrt. triBtac^/yUTtci yafi^ vCxrmfi i' i^Sffn ei fv}j.iy«iirtt' wlfii)uc6x.i'X»TU it »yyiiO> rKtct-cv X'^fi" A^ %/J.ipAv ettcfipW^oun. tuti ^r riffrrfAtt ittdpurain ctxohloiiyu.:tinf ut Tr,t ^i/\etKr,t r^i }j6iet( numt<t ''' ^ rvaLy^ryv,r. ffiTupx^i/a.itati iiwi rcii riit The statements which have appeared as to the chemical composition of the topaz dill'er strangely.

Streeter (Preciuiis Stones, p. 221), referring to the distinction between Oriental and Occidental topazes, says that the former consist of pure alumina, the latter being more than half alumina and for the rest composed of silica and fluorine. On the other hand, it has been spoken of as a silicate of aluminium associated with tlie fluorides of aluminium and silicon. In shape it is an ortho- rhombic prism with a cleavage transverse to the long axis.

It has the power of double refraction, and becomes electric when heated or rubbed. It is almost as hard as the diamond, but there are a few engraved specimens — an aiitic|ue one, for in- stance, at St. Petersburg, with the constellation Sirius. Australia produces green and yellow stones. Exquisite transparent ones, clear and bright aa the most sparklin" water, come from Tasmania — gouttes d'cau, the French call them.

In Saxony pale viobt are found ; in Uohemia sea-green ; in Brazil red, from pale to deep carmine. Pliny's influence is very apparent in The Lapi- darium of Marbodus — • From scaa remote the yellow Topaz came. Found in the island of the self-same name ; Great is the value, for full rare the stone, And but two kinds to cocer merchants known.

One vies with purest jfold, of oran^'e bri^'ht ; The other glimmers with a faintt-r liylit ; Its yielding nature to the file gi\ es way, Yet bids the bubbling' caldron cease to play. The laud of ftems, culled from its copious store, Arabia sends this to the Latian shore : One only virtue Nature prants the stone. Those to relieve who under hemorrhoids j^oan.'

Ruskin, in his lecture on the symbolic tise of precious stones in heraldry, states tliat the topaz IS 'symbolic of the Sun, like a strong man runniii}; his race rejoicing, standing between light ana darkness, and representing all good work.' It is curious to comjiare this with Marbodus, in his Prose on the 1 welve Foundation Stones : ' Con- templativte soliduni vitte prjestat otlicium.' J. Tavlok.