ORPIMENT (miniature)

Orpiment, commonly referred to as "yellow arsenic blende," is a vibrant orange-yellow arsenic sulfide mineral with the chemical formula As2S3. It typically occurs in volcanic fumaroles, low-temperature hydrothermal veins, and hot springs, often forming through sublimation processes. The name "orpiment" is derived from the Latin term auripigmentum, which combines aurum, meaning "gold," and pigmentum, meaning "pigment," reflecting its striking yellow hue. Historically, orpiment was extensively utilized in art, medicine, and various other fields.

The etymology of orpiment traces back to the Latin auripigmentum, which not only highlights its color but also the ancient belief that it contained gold, a notion referenced by Pliny in the first century AD. In Greek, orpiment is known as arsenikon, stemming from arsenikos, which translates to "male," based on the ancient belief in the gender of metals. This term was documented by Theophrastus in the fourth century BC. In Chinese, orpiment is called Ci-Huang, meaning "female yellow," while in Persian, it is referred to as zarnikh, derived from "zar," which means gold.