Obs. Also æthiops. [a. L. æthiops lit. ‘ETHIOP, negro,’ by mediæval chemists used in this sense.]
A name given to certain black or dark-colored compounds of metals. Ethiops martial, martial Ethiops (L. æthiops martialis): the black oxide of iron. Ethiops mineral (L. æ. mineralis): the black sulphide of mercury, prepared by triturating mercury and sulphur together. (Ethiops without adj. usually = ethiops mineral.)
1706. Phillips, Æthiops mineral.
1753. Chambers, Suppl., s.v., A new preparation of Æthiops is given by Cruger.
1770. New Disp., 538/2. The sulphur … and the mercury … remain at the bottom … united into an ethiops.
1794. G. Adams, Nat. & Exp. Philos., I. xi. 474. The whole wire is consumed … the globules of iron will be found in that state called Martial Ethiops.
1837. Brewster, Magnet., 304. The powder which formed the basis of this paste was … martial Ethiops.
1854. J. Scoffern, in Orr’s Circ. Sc., Chem., 500. Sulphuret of mercury is obtained in the condition of black powder, formerly known by the appellation Ethiop’s mineral.
