Some Words of the Day:

Shatranj - a precursor to chess

Bambakion - Byzantine leather pants

Buskins - open toed boots, or liturgical stockings

Peridot - (Mg, Fe)2SiO4

Mezair - a movement in which the horse makes a series of short jumps forward while standing on its hind legs

Capriole - an upward leap made by a horse without going forward and with a backward kick of the hind legs at the height of the leap

Bonus marks to anyone who can identify which book I am reading (these words all from the first 30 pages).