Black silver art

Black silver (Min.), stephanite, Ag5SbS4 orthorhombic (silver antimony sulfide), displays beautiful crystals characteristic; - called also brittle silver ore, or brittle silver glance, fulminating silver. (Chem.)

• A black crystalline substance, Ag2O.(NH3)2, obtained by dissolving silver oxide in aqua ammonia. When dry it explodes violently on the slightest percussion.
• Silver fulminate, a white crystalline substance, Ag2C2N2O2, obtained by adding alcohol to a solution of silver nitrate. When dry it is violently explosive.

Holy vessels

The Holy Water font was originally the fountain for ablutions, cantharus (phiala), placed in the centre of the atrium of the basilica can still found in the East, especially at Mount Athos, at Djebeil in Syria, and at Haia-Napa in the Island of Cyprus. These fountains were used by the faithful who, before entering the church, washed their hands and feet in accordance with a rite probably derived from Judaism and even yet observed in Muslim countries. When the atrium of the Christian basilica was reduced to the proportions of a narrow court or a simple porch, the cantharus gave way to a less pretentious structure. It is now only exceptionally that the cantharus is found doing service as a Holy Water font, mainly at Mount Athos, where the phiala of the monastery of Laura stands near the catholicon in front of the entrance and is covered by a dome resting on eight pillars. Vessels intended for the use of Holy Water are of very ancient origin (see on the right), and archaeological testimony compensates, to a certain extent, for the silence which historical and liturgical documents maintain in their regard. The phiala is a large two-handled drinking cup, or drinking globlet with high, curved, exaggerated handles the upper basin of a fountain (see on the right).

Other names

• German silver. (Chem.).
• Gray silver. (Min.) See Freieslebenite.
• Horn silver. (Min.) See Chlorargyrite.
• King's silver. (O. Eng. Law) See Postfine.
• Red silver, or Ruby silver. (Min.) See Proustite, and Pyrargyrite.
• Silver beater, one who beats silver into silver leaf or silver foil.
• Silver glance, or Vitreous silver. (Min.) See Argentine.

References