Nachi stone

Japanese: 那智石 - なちいし

The name of a black, dense siliceous slate found in the Nachi region of Wakayama Prefecture on the border between Wakayama and Mie Prefectures, and in Kamikawa Town, Kumano City, Mie Prefecture. It is also called Nachi black. The thin, oval gravel collected in Shichiri Mihama, Mihama Town, Minamimuro District, Mie Prefecture, is transported by rivers and polished by the waves on the coast. It is pure black and shiny, and is famous throughout the country as the best quality paving gravel. The chunks produced inland are also used as garden stones, and are processed into black go stones and inkstones in Kumano City. It was once used as a touchstone. [Yabashi Kenichiro]

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

和歌山と三重の県境部の和歌山県那智地方や三重県熊野市神川町に産する黒色緻密なケイ質粘板岩の石材名。那智黒ともいう。三重県南牟婁郡御浜町七里御浜で採取される薄い楕円形の砂利は，河川によって運搬され海岸の波浪によって磨かれたもので，純黒色で光沢があり，敷砂利の最良質のものとして全国に有名である。内陸産の塊状のものは庭石にも用いられ，熊野市で黒碁石や硯にも加工される。かつては試金石として使用された。【矢橋謙一郎】

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

<<: Natchez (English spelling)

>>: Mark Andreevich Natanson