The name is the message: eagle-stones and materia medica in South America

Eagle-stones, an ancient Asian remedy with obstetric uses, underwent a cultural transformation in early modern Europe and Spanish America, evolving from learned medicine to a symbol of popular medical lore. This study traces their 'folklorization' through historical documents, including texts from the Archivo de Indias in Seville, revealing their enduring presence in Latin American materia medica until the early 20th century. The research employs secondary bibliography and archival analysis to dissect the commercial networks and textual references that sustained eagle-stones' significance across centuries and continents.

Podgorny, I. (2017). The name is the message: eagle-stones and materia medica in South America. Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 452(1), 195–210. https://doi.org/10.1144/sp452.14