Kitab al-Jamahir: treatise on gems and minerals (al-Biruni)
Kitab al-Jamahir: tratado de gemas y minerales (al-Biruni)
- Date
- c. 1048 · confidence medium
- Place
- Ghazni, Afghanistan
- Credited to
- Abu Rayhan al-Biruni
- Field
- Cosmos & Earth
What was discovered
In his last major work, al-Biruni describes dozens of gems, minerals and metals with their origin, appearance and uses, and supports identification with density measurements made by a hydrostatic method. It is one of the most complete mineralogical treatises of the Middle Ages.
It was written around 1048 and is dedicated to the Ghaznavid sultan Mawdud; the full title is usually rendered 'Compendium of Information for the Knowledge of Gems'.
What it led to
- a reference for Islamic gemology and later treatises such as al-Tifashi's
- mineral density data whose accuracy was not surpassed for centuries