(ὑάκινθος, Ital. giacinto)
Jacinth, or hyacinth, is the colour of the eleventh foundation-stone of the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:20). The cuirasses of apocalyptic horsemen are partly hyacinthine (Revelation 9:17). The ὑάκινθος of the ancients was probably our sapphire (Revelation 21:20 [Revised Version margin]). The modern hyacinth, a variety of zircon, of yellowish red colour, may have been the stone known in Gr. as λογύριον and in Heb. as leshem (the Revised Version of Exodus 28:19; Exodus 39:12 has ‘jacinth’ where the Authorized Version has ‘ligure’); but Flinders Petrie (Hasting's Dictionary of the Bible (5 vols) iv. 620) suggests that the latter was yellow quartz or agate. Many Greek and Roman ‘hyacinths,’ used for intaglios and cameos, were probably only garnets.
James Strahan.