murra (mura)

[L., le prop. murrha, myr rha; in Gr. μορρία οι μόρρια, also μορρίνη, a material first brought to Rome by Pompey, 61 B. c.; appar. the name, like the thing, was of Asiatic origin.] In Rom. antiq., an ornamental stone of which vases, cups, and other ornamental articles were made. This material and the various things made from it are mentioned by several Greek and Latin authors, but Pliny is the only one who has attempted any detailed description of it. Unfortunately his accounts are so vague that the material cannot be positively identified, nor has anything been found in the excavations at Rome which is certainly known to be the ancient murra. In the opinion of the best authorities, however, it was fluor-spar, for of the known materials this is the only one found in abundance which has the peculiar coloration indicated by Pliny. The principal objection to this theory is that no fragments of fluor-spar vases have been found in Rome or its vicinity. Ve els of murra were at one time considered by the Romans as of inestimable value.