The Travels of Marco Polo, Vol. 1 · Marco Polo

Book I, Chapter XXI: Concerning the City of Cobinan and the Things That Are Made There

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Cobinan is a large town. The people worship Mahommet. There is much Iron and Steel and Ondanique, and they make steel mirrors of great size and beauty. They also prepare both Tutia (a thing very good for the eyes) and Spodium; and I will tell you the process.

They have a vein of a certain earth which has the required quality, and this they put into a great flaming furnace, whilst over the furnace there is an iron grating. The smoke and moisture, expelled from the earth of which I speak, adhere to the iron grating, and thus form Tutia, whilst the slag that is left after burning is the Spodium.

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End of part 41 of 115