Jules Verne’ (1828-1905), “Vanished Diamond: The Star of the South”, 1884 was the topic of an earlier blog post.
Here I present: Jules Verne’ (1828-1905), “Vanished Diamond: The Star of the South”, 1884, PART TWO (II)
COMMENT.
This Jules Verne’ story plot as the title says is about a “diamond” that is historically the largest ever found. The largest diamond ever disintegrated into “vanished” dust at the story’s end. Diamond is element carbon (C); and, Jules Verne’ wrote the story as SciFi with “gemology” as the science in this SciFi novel.
Here I presented: Jules Verne’ (1828-1905), “Vanished Diamond: The Star of the South”, 1884, PART TWO (II).
SUMMARY.
The nine (9) elements’ that were known in Prehistory are shown BELOW.
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Elements’ known in Prehistory are “native elements”. “Native Elements” are by definition these occur in Nature in an pure “phase-state”. The “phase-states” of matter are three (3) states: 1. solid, 2. liquid & 3. gas.
This means that the Prehistoric people knew of these nine (9) elements’; however, the concept of molecular elements’ did not exist until Robert Boyle. “The Sceptical Chymist”, 1661 AD gave the definition of a “molecule” as composed of elements’. That molecular elements’ is are chemical elements’ and not merely “phases of matter” was beyond the comprehension of Prehistoric people. “Molecular” is the dimensions of the infinitesimally, small; and, the infinitesimally, small invisible, to the unaided eyes of Prehistoric people.
Visible, nine (9) elemental’-phases caused Prehistoric people to admire most the rarely found gold (Au), silver (Ag), and “diamond-carbon” (C).
Carbon (C) is found in two (2) “solid-states: 1. graphite (common), and 2. diamond (rare).
Atop this blog post is the “diamond” solid-state of carbon (C).
The first element’ worked by Prehistoric people was copper (Cu); and, “native copper” (Cu) is shown ABOVE as it appeared to Prehistoric people in the 9th Millennium BC as a visible phase for the prospectors to mine. Mesopotamia’ and Ancient China had words for copper (Cu) shown BELOW.
