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A fine large miniature displaying an approximately 3 x 3 cm area of tiny, well developed Cinnabar crystals coating a fine to medium grained light tan sandstone. This specimen is from the ancient mercury mining district of Landsberg in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, south-west of Frankfurt am Main. Moschellandsberg hill (now shortened to Landsberg), is within a region rich in mercury and mercury minerals, where mining began in around 1440. Because of mercury's unique property of being the only liquid metal at ambient conditions, it has been known since ancient times, and is thought to have been first discovered by the Ancient Egyptians prior to 1,500 BCE. The Cinnabar forms as sharp, sub-millimetre trigonal crystals , mostly with a grey to black patina although showing cherry red faces in part. For any specimens containing mercury and or mercury bearing minerals, it is a sensible precaution to always wash your hands after handling.
55 x 35 x 20 mm