Toadstone

Beliefs about Toadstones

• Fossils associated with jewels set inside the heads of toads
• Toadstones believed to be antidotes for poison and used in epilepsy treatment
• Toadstones were adorned in jewelry for their magical abilities
• Toadstones were removed from live toads and could be done on a red cloth
• Toadstones varied in size and color, most effective against poison when worn against the skin

Allusions in Literature

• Toadstone alluded to in Shakespeare's 'As You Like It'
• Toadstone mentioned in James Branch Cabell's 'Balthazar's Daughter' and its play adaptation
• Duke Senior compares adversity to a toad with a precious jewel in its head

Toadstones in Jewelry

• Some toadstones used in jewelry, including on a crown at Aachen Cathedral
• Toadstone rings found in the Ashmolean Museum and the British Museum

Related Concepts

• Bezoar
• Biomineralization

References

• 'Fossils: myths, mystery and magic' - Independent UK
• 'A Lapidary, Or, the History of Pretious Stones' - Thomas Nicols
• 'Naturall Philosophy: or a Description of the Vvorld, and of the Severall Creatures Therein Contained' - Adolf Wilhelm Scribonius
• 'A Thousand Notable Things, of Sundry Sortes: Whereof Some Are Wonderfull, Some Straunge, Some Pleasant, Diuers Necessary, a Great Sort Profitable, and Many Very Precious' - Lupton Thomas
• 'Medieval Jewellery in Europe 1100-1500' - Marian Campbell

Toadstone Data Sources