Crystallography in Spain

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Spain has been linked to crystals for centuries as the home of important mining ore deposits. The first Spanish contribution to the history of crystals was reported by Pliny the Elder (I Century AD) in his “Natural History”, where he describes the windows and greenhouses of the richer inhabitants of the Roman Empire being covered by crystals of “Lapis specularis”, the Latin name for large transparent crystals of gypsum. This dehydrated form of calcium sulphate was extracted by Romans in Segóbriga (La Mancha) because of its crystal clarity, size (up to one meter) and perfect flatness. [...]