Precious stones and ‘wondrous’ minerals in Old High German glosses

Abstract

This essay will focus on the names of precious stones and minerals which were known and praised for their extraordinary properties in Old High German glosses and glossaries. The research aims to shed light on the circulation of stone lore in medieval Germany, and the strategies employed by the glossators when approaching this peculiar lexical field. In a number of cases, the interpretamentum takes the form of an explanatory gloss, providing a short description of the stone, which can include details on its colour, shape and physical properties. The features of the glosses under examination will hopefully yield relevant data on the knowledge of the precious stones and their physical appearance, as well as the sources available to the glossators.