LYDIAN STONE Meaning and
Definition
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Lydian stone, also known as touchstone or Lydian touchstone, refers to a type of dark gray or black stone historically used for testing and assessing the purity of precious metals, particularly gold and silver. It was extensively employed in ancient times and continues to be relevant in some contexts today.
Typically flat, smooth, and portable, Lydian stone was widely utilized due to its characteristic properties. The stone possesses a fine-grained texture, allowing it to create a streak or mark when rubbed against a metal surface. The color of the streak left behind on the stone would provide valuable information about the metal being tested. Impurities or alloys present in the metal would often result in a different color or shade on the stone's surface compared to pure metal.
Lydian stone acted as a reliable diagnostic tool for metalsmiths, jewelers, and traders alike. It provided a simple and effective method to determine the authenticity and quality of precious metals, enabling fair trade and preventing fraud. The term "touchstone" itself has become synonymous with any method or reference point used to evaluate or measure the authenticity or quality of an object or concept.
While modern technology and sophisticated testing methods have surpassed the need for Lydian stone in many applications, it remains an important historical artifact and continues to be used by those who appreciate traditional craftsmanship or seek to replicate ancient metalworking techniques.
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A compact variety of flinty slate, of a velvet-black colour, with a flat-conchoidal fracture and keen cutting grain, long used as a touchstone for gold, whose purity is shown by the colour of the streak left on its smoothed surface.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
Common Misspellings for LYDIAN STONE
- kydian stone
- pydian stone
- oydian stone
- ltdian stone
- lgdian stone
- lhdian stone
- ludian stone
- l7dian stone
- l6dian stone
- lysian stone
- lyxian stone
- lycian stone
- lyfian stone
- lyrian stone
- lyeian stone
- lyduan stone
- lydjan stone
- lydkan stone
- lydoan stone
- lyd9an stone
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