The minds of stone lovers had colonised stones as lichens clung to them with golden or grey-green florid stains. The human world of stones is caught in organic metaphors like flies in amber. Words came from flesh and hair and plants. Reniform, mammilated, botryoidal, dendrite, haematite. Carnelian is from carnal, from flesh. Serpentine and lizardite are stone reptiles ; phyllite is leafy-green.
The passage reflects on the intricate relationship between humanity and stones, suggesting that our understanding of stone is deeply intertwined with organic metaphors. Just as lichens attach themselves to stones, human thoughts and expressions have colonized the essence of stones, creating a vivid imagery that connects the natural and the mineral world. This relationship illustrates how language evolves from our physical existence, as terms used to describe stones often have roots in the organic realm.
A.S. Byatt highlights the poetic qualities of stones by associating them with biological terms, showing that names like "carnelian" and "serpentine" invoke a sense of life and movement despite their inanimate nature. The use of descriptive classifications for stones, such as "reniform" or "botryoidal," enriches our perception of them and emphasizes the blend of nature and language. By drawing connections between flora, fauna, and geological elements, the text celebrates the beauty of both the natural world and the words we use to describe it.
