The Leyden and Stockholm Papyri - University of Cincinnati

30. Preparation of Emerald
To prepare emerald from crystal. Take a clay vessel, mix in it round
alum with water, and put it aside. Take transparent wax of equal
weight with the crystal – of this latter not more than 2 drachmas
can be transformed – melt, and put it aside in a vessel. Take the
crystal and put it in the alum a day and a night. In this way it
becomes, of course, bluish. Then take it out and coat it with the
wax. Then take the crystal out of the wax and put it in verdigris,
but have the 1 ounce of verdigris pulverized, and boil the crystal
for 6 hours in a small vessel containing 6 cups. Then place it in the
verdigris a day and a night. Take it out on the next day.
31. Boiling of Stones
THE LEYDEN & STOCKHOLM PAPYRI
If you wish to make ruby from crystal, which is worked to any
desired end, take and put it in the pan and stir up turpentine balsam
and a little pulverized alkanet there until the dye liquid rises;
and then take care of the stone.
32. Preparation of Emerald
Unadulterated verdigris, copper green, bile of tortoise (and) of
steers 2 parts, smoky crystal.
33. Preservation of Crystal
So that it neither splits nor breaks. Take and mix the whole of a
goose's egg with talc. Make it of pasty thickness and smear the
crystal with it. Then put it in linen, bind this around it and leave 3
days in the dew and the sunshine. Untie after the three days and
work the stone.
34. Preparation of Emerald
Boil for 1 hour. 1 part of roasted copper, 2 parts of verdigris, (and)
as much Pontic honey as is needed.
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