Gemologist Anna Rasche delved into archive materials at the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum, inspired by coral's historical significance in warding off evil. Her findings, particularly medieval lapidary manuscripts detailing the magical attributes of stones, influenced her debut novel, The Stone Witch of Florence. This work combines her expertise with inspirations from Italy's historic churches and artifacts found in NYC’s museums. She will discuss her research and its implications in a virtual talk on October 30, near Halloween, highlighting coral’s place in Italian tradition.
"A lapidary is kind of like an encyclopedia of stones. They explain all sorts of what we would consider magical attributes of the stones, as well as straightforward information like its origin and physiology."
"Coral is the most powerful material to ward off the evil eye—a belief Italians have held since ancient times. Romans often gifted newborns coral amulets to prevent sickness and bad luck."
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