It has seemed necessary to give this account of a very ancient method of iron smelting, because, from the diffi- culties which attend it, anil tlie intense heat which is required to eeparatc the metal from the ore, it has been asserted that the allusions to iron and iron manufijcture in the Old Testament arc anachronisms. But ff it were possible among the ancient Indians in a very primitive state of civilization, it might have been known to the Hebrews, who may have acipiired their knowledge by working as slaves in the iron furnaces of Egypt (comp. Dent, iv, 20). Tlie question of the early use of iron among the Egyptians is fully disiiosed of in the follow- ing remarks of Sir (iardner Wilkinson (Aiiciciif K;iyp- tians, ii, 154-15G) : " In the infancy of the arts and sci- ences, the difficulty of working iron might long with- hold the secret of its superiority over copper and bronze
'imiethysl." . "silver." , " red marble."
Silv(
i;dli('it Marble.
nareketh 1 Emerald ? " carbuncle."
liarkiitli )
liarza Iron " iron."
Iktl'd Alloy y " tin."
liedolach Bdellium " bdellinm."
nertdloa Beryl " beryl."
Iletwr Ore "gold."
^f"".,,] Alkali " soap," etc.
Chalh'don Chalcedony " chalcedony."
Chalkolibdnon Electruni " tine brass."
Chalkos Copper " brass."'
Challam.sh Klint " flint," etc.
riin-thvuH Burnished Copper. . " amber."
Chemur Biinnien " slime."
Chul f^aiid "sand."
Clirvxolrthiix Chivsolite " chrysolite."
Chrusoprdaos Chrysoprase " chijvopiase."
Chrttsos Gold " gold.'
but it camiot reasonably be supposed that a nation so i jjar Pearl-stone "while marble."
mNERVA
293
MINERVA
Ekddch. . . Gab'ish. ..
Gir
Gophr'ith . Hals .
. Carbuncle " carbuncle."
, Crystal " pearl."
. Lime " chalk."
, Sulphur " brimstone."
. Salt "salt."
Huakinthos Hyacinth "jacinth."
Hudos Glass " glass."
Ja.'ipis Jasper "jasper."
Kadkod Ruby " agate."
Keiacli Crystal " crystal."
Kescjih Silver " silver."
Ketlu'Di, Virgin Gold "gold."
Krustallos Crystal " crystal."
Leshi'ui Opal? "ligure."
Maniarltc's Pearl " pearl."
MtiDiiaros Marble " marble."
Melach Salt " salt."
^;':U] ^-pp- • "^--"
JS'eJher Nitre " nitre."
Nophek Emerald ? " emerald."
O'dem Garnet " sardins."
Ophereth Lead " lead."
J'alddh Steel "torch."
Paz Retined Gold " fine gold."
Pitdah Topaz ? " topaz."
Puk Antimony " paint."
faw^''°' 1 Sapphire " sapphire."
Sardmos\ rnrnplian /"sardine."
^ardios \ t ainelian | „ sardius."
Sardrmux Sardonyx " sardonyx."
Shnish Alabaster " marble."
Shamir Diamond "diamond," etc.
ShoKher Red Ochre " vermilion."
Shcbo Agate ? " agate."
.Shesh White :Marble " marble."
Shnham Onyx ? "onyx."
Sidfros Iron " iron."
Hig Scorise, etc " dross."
Sinaragdos Emerald "emerald."
l<oc]ifrctli Spotted Marble " black marble."
TarKh'.sh Topaz ? " beryl."
Theion Brimstone " brimstone."
Tiipazion Topaz " topaz."
'J'.-<ar Nodule " flint."
Ynhaloa Onyx ? " diamond."
Yashepheh Jasper " jasper."
Zaiuib. .: Gold " gold."
Zekuk'dh Glass " crystal."
See Rosenmiiller, Biblical Mineralogy and Botany (Edinb. 184G, r2mo); Mooie, Ancient 3Iineraloffy (N. Y. 1834, 12mo).
Minerva, the name of a Roman goddess, identified by the later Grecizing Romans with the Greek Athene, whom she greatly resembled, though, like all the old Latin divinities, there was nothing anthropomorphic in what was told concerning her. Her name is thought to spring from an old Etruscan word preserved in the roots of niens (the mind) and monere (to warn or advise) ; and the ancient Latin scholar and critic, Varro (ap. August. Be Civ. Dei, vii, 28), regarded her as the impersonation of divine thought — the plan of the material universe, of which .Jupiter was the creator, and Juno the representa- tive. Hence all that goes on among men, all that con- stitutes the development of human destiny (which is but the expression of the divine idea or intention), is under her care. She is the patroness of wisdom, arts, and sci- ences, the personitication, so to speak, of the thinking, inventive faculty — and was invoked alike by poets, painters, teachers, physicians, and all kinds of craftsmen (Ovid, Fast, iii, 809, etc. ; August. I. c. vii, 16). She also guides heroes in war ; and, in fact, every wise idea, every bold act, and every useful design, owes something to the high inspiration of this virgin goddess (Livj^, xlv, 33 Virgil, ^En. ii, 615). Popular tradition accounted for her origin as follows: "She was the offspring of the brain of Jupiter, from which she issued in full armor." She was always represented as a virgin. In war she was contradistinguished from Mars (the god of brute force) as the patroness of scientific warfare, and hence, according to the ancient poets, was always superior to him. The favorite plant of Minerva was the olive, and the animals consecrated to her were the owl and the serpent. As she was a maiden goddess, her sacrifices consisted of calves which had not borne the yoke or felt the sting (Fulgentius, p. 651). She had many temples and festivals dedicated to her. Her oldest temple in
Minerva.
Rome was that on the Capitol. Her most popular festi- val was held in i\Lirch, and. lasted five days, from the 19th to the 23d inclusive. Minerva was popularly be- lieved to be the inventor of musical instruments, espe- cially wind instruments, the use of which was very im- portant in religious worship, and which were accord- ingly subjected to an annual purification, which took place during the festival just alluded to (Ovid, /"os^ iii, 849).