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Eagle-stones
or Aetites Yellow clay ironstones supposed to have
sanative and magical virtues. They are so called because they are found
in eagles' nests. Epiphanius says, “In the interior of Scythia there is
a valley inaccessible to man, down which slaughtered lambs are thrown.
The small stones at the bottom of the valley adhere to these pieces of
flesh, and eagles, when they carry away the flesh to their nests, carry
the stones with it.” The story of Sindbad in the Valley of Diamonds
will occur to the readers of this article (Epiphanius: De duodecim
gemmis, etc., p. 30; 1743).
It is said that without these stones eagles cannot hatch their eggs.
Source: Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, E. Cobham Brewer, 1894 More on Eagle-stones from Infoplease:
- Eagle-stones - Eagle-stones or Aetites Yellow clay ironstones supposed to have sanative and magical virtues. They ...
- Aetites - Aetites A′etites (3 syl.). Eagle-stones. (Greek, aetos, an eagle.) Hollow stones composed of ...
- Stones - Stones Aerolites, or stones which have fallen from heaven. J. Norman Lockyer says the number of ...
- Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: E - Definitions, origins, and illustrative excerpts for words, phases, and literary allusions starting with "E"
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