Théophraste, Dioscoride et le joyau secret du lynx: nouvelle hypothèse pour l'identification du lyngurium
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Theophrastus, Dioscorides and the secret jewel of the lynx: a new hypothesis about the lyngurium's identification. The present article analyses the main identifications about the lyngurium (amber/yellow tourmaline) and develops a new hypothesis inferred from both a reinterpretation of extracts from Theophrastus (Lap. V, 28-31; Frg. 362 A FSH & G) and echoes suggested by a thorough study of the botanical corpus. The lynx' stone would be a block of dry resin, but not fossilised, imported by routes similar to the amber ones, from areas where lynxes lived, and may contain some plants' residues. This hypothesis enables to explain the regular confusion with amber while reporting on the etiological narrative from which the lynx is tied to this stone. Furthermore, it could enlighten the text written by Dioscorides (MM 2, 31), who refers to a sort of “feathered” amber (ἤλεκτρον πτερυγοφόρον hapax).
Source: Anthropozoologica
Author: Samuel Dumont
Language: English
Topic: History of Medicine Studies
Subfield: History
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W4411681631