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]
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]
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]
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]