THE GOLD OF THAT LAND: Biblical Minerals & Rocks  

35.     hyacinth, jacinth

Greek: huakinthinos, huakinthos, derived from the Greek kuanos, deep blue. (The modern term "cyan blue" comes from the same root, although it denotes a greenish-blue.) A gem of hyacinthine or deep blue color. Revelation 9:17, 21:20.

Probable Identification: biblical hyacinth is lapis lazuli or blue turquoise.

Mineralogy:

    See "LAPIS LAZULI" and "TURQUOISE."

    Hyacinth or jacinth in modern usage is gem zircon of a red-orange or brownish color. Zircons are not naturally blue, but heat treatment turns them blue. A cinnamon-colored gem variety of grossularite, a garnet, known as essonite has also been known as hyacinth.

Sources:

Hurlbut, 1952, op. cit.; 392.

Jolyon, Ralph, 1993-2004. http://www.mindat.org/min-6649.html

Schumann, op. cit.; 108-109.