“The Carbuncle
Which from it such a flaming light
And radiancy ejecteth
That in the very darkest night
The eye’s to it directed.”
Drayton.
The name Carbuncle is derived from the Latin CARBUNCULUS, diminutive of CARBO, a coal. During the past centuries it has been written as charbucle, charbokel, charbokll, cherbukkill, carbokyl, charboncle, carbunculum, karboncle, carbunacle, carbuncle stone. Of it Dr. Wilkins writes: “It is believed that a carbuncle does shine in the dark like a burning coal, from whence it has its name.”
The carbuncle is the Iron Alumina Garnet known as Almandine or Almandite, which varies in colour shades from red, ruby red, columbine red to brownish red. The name is said to be derived from the town of Alabanda in Asia Minor where, according to Pliny, the Carbunculi Amethystozontes were cut. Dr. Holland’s translation of the passage relating to the carbuncle in Pliny, Book XXXVII, is as follows: “Amongst these red gems the rubies otherwise called carbuncles challenge the principall place and are esteemed richest; they have their name in Greek of the likenesse unto fire, and yet fire hath no power of them which is the reason that some call them apyroti.” The apyroti is our pyrope which indicates “fiery” in Greek. It is a magnesia alumina garnet and was, as it now is, cut en cabochon. Specimens chosen for this purpose are from deep to black red.
Almandines form the pathways of the Fourth Heaven (Dar as-Salam) of the Muhammedans; and the traditional symbol of the Ark illuminated by a large carbuncle stone occurs in the Rabbinical writings. To students of the mysteries this must ever appeal as a forceful and subtle symbol of man’s immortality and sublime power. Leonardus writes of the carbuncle “brandishing its fiery rays on every side and in the dark appearing like a fiery coal.” “It is regarded,” he says, “as the first among ‘burning gems.’” That the carbuncle gave out a glowing light without reflection is frequently repeated by ancient authors, and the Palace of the Magician in the Russian story of King Kajata was hewn out of a single carbuncle which lit up the whole surrounding district. Sir E. Tennant quotes from a Chinese work a narrative which tells that “early in the 14th century the Emperor sent an officer to Ceylon to purchase a carbuncle of unusual lustre which was fitted as a ball to the cap of the Emperor of that country. It was upwards of an ounce in weight and cost 100,000 strings of cash. Each time a grand levee was held at night the red lustre filled the palace, and hence it was designated the Red Palace Illuminator.”