BLACK STONE OF MECCA


Meaning of BLACK STONE OF MECCA in English

Muslim object of veneration, built into the eastern wall of the Kaaba and probably predating Islam .

It consists of three large pieces of stone and some fragments, surrounded by a stone ring and held together with a silver band. According to legend, the stone was given to Adam on his fall from paradise and was originally white but has been made black by the sins of the thousands of pilgrims who have touched and kissed it.

Britannica Concise Encyclopedia.      Краткая энциклопедия Британика.