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Bezoar stones, magic, science and art

Maria Do Sameiro Barroso
Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 375, 193-207, 26 February 2013, https://doi.org/10.1144/SP375.11
Maria Do Sameiro Barroso
Faculdade de Letras da Universidade de Lisboa, Departamento de História Antiga, Alameda da Universidade, 1600-214, Lisboa and Museu Nacional de Arqueologia, Praça do Império, 1400 Lisboa, Portugal (e-mail: )
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Abstract

Bezoars were introduced into Western medicine by Arabian doctors during the twelfth century. They were used as antidotes to arsenic, the poison used most commonly in European courts. The use of bezoars was widespread during the sixteenth century, and their value was ten times more than their weight in gold. These were rare and expensive items and many kings owned one or more specimens, some of which were mounted as pieces of jewelry. Sixteenth and seventeenth century physicians wrote extensively about them, describing their properties and use. ‘Oriental bezoars’ (mostly from Asian porcupines) were introduced at this time.

Difficulty in obtaining bezoars led to the production of numerous dangerous counterfeits containing highly toxic substances including cinnabar, quicksilver and antimony. Possibly for these reasons, their use declined at the end of the seventeenth century and from 1800 onwards, they were no longer used. In strict mineralogical terms, bezoars are not actually stones. However, the Flemish mineralogist and physician, Anselm Boetius de Boodt (1550–1632) included them in his work Gemmarum et Lapidum Historia (History of Gems and Stones, 1609) and their study is an important chapter in the history of toxicology.

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Geological Society, London, Special Publications: 375 (1)
Geological Society, London, Special Publications
Volume 375
2012
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Bezoar stones, magic, science and art

Maria Do Sameiro Barroso
Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 375, 193-207, 26 February 2013, https://doi.org/10.1144/SP375.11
Maria Do Sameiro Barroso
Faculdade de Letras da Universidade de Lisboa, Departamento de História Antiga, Alameda da Universidade, 1600-214, Lisboa and Museu Nacional de Arqueologia, Praça do Império, 1400 Lisboa, Portugal (e-mail: )
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  • For correspondence: [email protected]

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Bezoar stones, magic, science and art

Maria Do Sameiro Barroso
Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 375, 193-207, 26 February 2013, https://doi.org/10.1144/SP375.11
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  • Article
    • Abstract
    • Bezoars, present and past
    • The bezoars and other ancient alexipharmics
    • The medicinal use of bezoars in Europe
    • Trade and use by the Portuguese
    • Oriental bezoars
    • Modern alexipharmics
    • Amatus Lusitanus and the origin of bezoars and snake-stones
    • Bezoars from the New World
    • Bezoars mounted as pieces of art
    • Anselm Boetius de Boodt
    • Bezoars and unicorn horns
    • Rudolf II’s bezoars
    • Mistrust of bezoars and Caspar Bauhin’s monography
    • Semedo’s bezoartic cordial
    • The Goa stone
    • The end of the golden age of bezoars
    • Acknowledgments
    • References
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