Arenophile
An arenophile is one who collects sand samples, the interest of the hobby lying in the variety of texture, colour, mineralogy and place of origin.[1]
Etymology
[edit ]The terms arenophile meaning "sand lover" and the associated arenophilia derive from the Latin arena (sand) and the Greek phil (love). These words are not, as of 2019[update] , included in the Oxford English Dictionary . The term Psammophile (derived from two Greek words) is also used, and found in the OED, but with reference to plants or animals rather than human collectors.[2] [3] The adjective arenophilic is used in biology, as in "arenophilic glands, the mucoid secretions of which attach sand grains ...".[4]
Collecting
[edit ]
According to the International Sand Collector's Society (ISCS), the hobby of sand collecting dates from at least the turn of the 20th century.[5] Collectors may seek out sand from coastlines or the shores of rivers which hold some personal significance, or sand which is considered interesting for its unique qualities.[6] Collecting sand involves minimal equipment, such as a shovel for digging, and containers to store the sand; good record-keeping is advised, since it can be hard to identify a sand's origin after the fact.[7] Some collectors may trade sands with fellow arenophiles in order to complete their collection.
Sand with certain characteristics is considered rare, such as green sand found in Hawaii and Brazil.[8] Rarity might also be derived from the remoteness of the sand's location, such as the Pitcairn Islands or Easter Island.
Sand collecting is forbidden in certain locations: as an example, the Coast Protection Act 1949 makes it illegal in Scotland to remove any quantity of sand or pebbles from beaches and shorelines.[9] In 2019, it was reported that a French couple would face between one and six years in prison for removing 40kg (88lb) of sand from a beach in the Sardinian city of Chia.[10] The ISCS advises its members to be mindful of where they are collecting sand and of relevant local laws.[11]
References
[edit ]- ^ Willis, Rebecca. "The Magic of Sand". Intelligent Life (July/August 2013).
- ^ Welland, Michael (4 January 2010). Sand: The Never-Ending Story. California UP. p. 14. ISBN 9780520265974 . Retrieved 29 January 2019.
- ^ "psammophile, n. and adj." . Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
- ^ Sartori, André Fernando (October 2006). "Arenophilic mantle glands in the Laternulidae (Bivalvia: Anomalodesmata) and their evolutionary significance". Acta Zoologica. 87 (4): 265–272. doi:10.1111/j.1463-6395.2006.00240.x.
- ^ "The Hobby". The International Sand Collectors Society. Retrieved 2023年02月22日.
- ^ "The Hobby". The International Sand Collectors Society. Retrieved 2023年02月22日.
- ^ "Become a Collector". The International Sand Collectors Society. Retrieved 2023年02月22日.
- ^ Hausheer, Justine E. (2018年11月28日). "Secret Confessions of A Sand Collector". Cool Green Science. Retrieved 2023年02月22日.
- ^ Murphy, Sean (2022年06月17日). "People urged not to lift sand and stones from beaches as it's 'against the law'". Daily Record. Retrieved 2023年02月22日.
- ^ "Is it illegal to take sand and pebbles from beaches?". The Week UK. Retrieved 2023年02月22日.
- ^ "Become a Collector". The International Sand Collectors Society. Retrieved 2023年02月22日.
Further reading
[edit ]- National Geographic, April 27, 1985, "Sand, a vanishing resource"
- The Colliers encyclopedia, Volume R-T, subheading "Sand".