knowledge

CORAL

Man has been using the red coral in the jewellery from ancient times. Romans used to hang its pieces around their children’s necks. They believed that it could prevent and cure diseases and would save them from danger. In some parts of Italy, it will still worn to ward off ‘the evil eye’. Indians also use coral pieces as jewels in their rings and other ornaments. Do you know what coral is?

Coral polyp

          In fact, coral is the bony framework or skeleton of a tiny, jelly-like sea animal called coral polyp. This skeleton grows outside its body. It protects and supports the body and grows with the animal. Each polyp is like a tiny tube, closed at one end with many tentacles. It secrets a limey substances of which the skeleton is made. This skeleton is formed like a cup, beneath and around the outer body. The polyp first attaches itself to a rock beneath the surface of water. The young one are born as small buds from its body. When the old polyp dies, the living polyps remain attached to its skeleton and produce more buds. In this way corals gradually build up into colonies of many millions. As layer upon layer of coral is built up, they actually form reefs and islands in the ocean. They are a great hazard to the sea going vessels. These layers of lime become coloured on account of certain substances in the sea. So, from these skeletons we get corals of different colours.

          Corals is found principally in the warm tropical waters of the Pacific, the Indian ocean and the Mediterranean sea. We get red and pink corals from the animals found in the Mediterranean off the coasts of Africa and Italy. These corals begin to shine when they are polished. These are mainly used in the ornaments.