- Formal Name
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Hyraceum
Details
Hyraceum is the petrified, rock-like excrement, urine and faeces together, of the rock hyrax, Procavia capensis, and closely related species. The rock hyrax uses the same sites over generations, forming middens that can be preserved for over 50,000 years. The material hardens and ages until it is a rock-like stone, also called Africa Stone, with an animalic, fermented scent that combines musk, castoreum, civet, tobacco and agarwood. Wikipedia says it has been used in both traditional South African medicine and perfumery. Fossilized hyraceum has been used as a traditional folk medicine in South Africa for treating epilepsy; in a study of 14 samples, four showed an affinity for the receptor site that benzodiazepines act on, though water extracts were inactive. It is harvested without disturbing the animals, but accumulates so slowly that the article calls it essentially non-renewable.
References
Correspondences
- Elements
- No elements recorded.
- Celestial Bodies
- No celestial bodies recorded.
- Zodiac Signs
- No zodiac signs recorded.
- Colours
- No colours recorded.
- Deities
- No deities recorded.
Folk Names
- Africa Stone
Categories
No categories recorded.
Substitutes
No substitutes recorded.
Forms
Stone
References
References
Bibliography
- Wikipedia, under "Hyraceum." Accessed October 29, 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hyraceum&oldid=1381161709. Open the Source (opens in a new tab)
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