[sahrd] 
| a reddish-brown chalcedony, used as a gem. |
| sard (särd) n. A clear or translucent, deep orange-red to brownish-red variety of chalcedony. Also called sardius. [Middle English sarde, from Old French, from Latin sarda, perhaps from Sardīs, Sardis.] |
sard
translucent, light- to dark-brown varieties of the silica mineral chalcedony, historically two of the most widely used semiprecious stones. Sard and its close relative carnelian have been used in engraved jewelry for centuries. Sard (from Sardis, the ancient capital of Lydia) was originally called sardion, which included both sard and carnelian until the Middle Ages. Except for crystal, it is the oldest known name for a silica mineral. One locality famous as a source of sard is Ratnapura, Sri Lanka. Bands of sard and white chalcedony are called sardonyx, which at one time was more precious than gold, silver, or sapphire. Sardonyx is widely used in cameos and intaglios. Its properties are those of quartz (see silicate mineral [table]).
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