Ancient diamonds of India Origin
From ancient times, India was the source of nearly all the world's known diamonds, and until the discovery of diamonds in Brazil in 1726, India was the only place where diamonds were mined.
Diamond mining as an industry appears to have originated between 800 and 600 B.C. in India.
The earliest known reference to diamond is a Sanskrit manuscript, dated from 320-296 B.C., but Diamonds have been known in India for at least 3,000 years but most likely 6,000 years.
The knowledge that diamonds can be processed came to Europe via India only in the 14th century.
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India's unique status as a producer of diamonds continued to fascinate Europeans. Marco Polo traveled along the coast of India in 1292, and recorded tales he heard about diamonds being found in deep mountain valleys made nearly inaccessible by heat, lack of water, and venomous snakes.
The French traveler Jean Baptiste Tavernier visited the Krishna River diggings in 1665, and estimated that about 60,000 people were mining diamonds.
In the ancient world, diamonds were known only to exist in India and the Hindu culture has always held them in high esteem. This most popular gemstone among all others, the diamond, played a significant social role in ancient India in the Hindu culture.
Vajra is the word for the Diamond in Sanskrit, which is the sacred language of Ancient India.
Ancient Indian scriptures believed there were eight different types of diamonds, each having its own color:
- Vanaspati, grassy green
- Hanspati, a conch-like color
- Sanloyi, yellowish-green
- Vajraneel, bluish-white
- Kamlapati, lotus pink
- Shyamvajra, grey
- Tella and Vasanthi, dark colorings
In the Indian scripture “Ratnapariksa” (assessment of precious stones), which has its origins in the 5th century, the author provides an insight into the history of creation of diamonds: “owing to the great power attributed by the learned to the diamond, the diamond must be treated as the first (amongst precious stones...: the eight great diamond deposits are in: Saurashtra (Himalayas), Matanga, Paundra, Kalinga, Kosala, the shores of the Vainya and the Surpara.
But looks like, it did not involve the faceting and shaping of a rough diamond, as we know it today.
But looks like, it did not involve the faceting and shaping of a rough diamond, as we know it today.
Below is the list of few famous diamonds of India Origin:-
The Koh-i-Noor has long been a subject of diplomatic controversy, with India, Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan all demanding its return from the UK at various points. One of the largest cut diamonds in the world
This diamond was mined in Vijayanagara same as Kohinoor, India. It was originally owned by the Kakatiya dynasty, later it was looted by the Khalji dynasty and to Mughal emperors.
The history of the stone which was eventually named the Hope diamond began when the French merchant traveller, Jean Baptiste Tavernier, purchased a 112 3/16-carat diamond. This diamond, which was most likely from the Kollur mine in Golconda, India, was somewhat triangular in shape and crudely cut. Its color was described by Tavernier as a "beautiful violet."
The diamond was reportedly part of the original Peacock Throne, India. Purchased in 1886 in Istanbul by London merchant George Blogg, who re-cut it from 116 carats (23.2 g) to a pear-shape of 71.70 carats (14.340 g), thus destroying the historic inscriptions. Blogg sold the stone in 1887 to Malhar Rao Gaekwad of Baroda, India who was the last known owner and the stone's whereabouts are presently unknown. |
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This is one of the largest pink diamonds in the world, and the centre piece of the tiara of the same name. The diamond is believed to have been recovered from the Vijayanagara mines in India and was brought into the Iranian Imperial collection after Persian king Nader Shah Afshar looted Delhi in the 18th century.The tiara forms part of the Iranian crown jewels, held at the National Treasury of Iran in the Central Bank in Tehran.
Nassak Diamond (also known as Nassac and the Eye of the Idol) is a large, 43.38 carats (8.676 g) diamond that originated as a larger 89 carat diamond in the 15th century in India.Found in Golconda mines of Kollur and originally cut in India, the diamond was the adornment in the Trimbakeshwar Shiva Temple, near Nashik, in the state of Maharashtra, India from at least 1500 to 1817. The British East India Company captured the diamond through the Third Anglo-Maratha War and sold it to British jewelers Rundell and Bridge in 1818.
The Black Orlov is a black diamond, also known as the Eye of Brahma Diamond. It weighs 67.50 carats (13.500 g). The diamond—originally 195 carats (39.0 g)—is said to have been discovered in the early 19th century in India. It supposedly featured as one of the eyes in a statue of the Hindu god Brahma in Pondicherry, until it was stolen by a Jesuit monk.previously a triangular brilliant of about 80 carats.
Nizam Diamond is believed to have been the most famous diamond in the 1800s. There are tales about its size, around 340 carats (68 g). The story goes back to the rulers of Golconda, and is believed to have been found at Kollur Mine. The diamond was almond in shape.
The Moon of Baroda is a 24.04 carats (4.808 g) cut diamond discovered in Vadodara (Baroda), India. The diamond, canary yellow in colour, is cut in a pear shape. When found, the rough diamond weighed 25.95 carats (5.190 g). The Moon of Baroda was originally owned by the Maharajas of Baroda. The Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad sold it to an unknown buyer in the early 1920s
The Beau Sancy diamond takes its name from Nicolas de Harlay, Lord of Sancy, who brought the diamond to France from India where he had been the French ambassador. Its larger sibling diamond, the Grand Sancy, was sold to James I of England for his Queen, Henrietta Maria. The Beau Sancy was acquired by the Queen of France, Marie de Medicis. From Marie de Medicis, it passed to the Dutch King William, later William III of England, and his wife Queen Mary II. In 1701 it passed from the Dutch royal family to Frederick I of Prussia.
The Archduke Joseph originated in India's Golconda mines, where the colorless Koh-i-Noor, the blue Hope Diamond and other famous diamonds also originated. It was named after Archduke Joseph August of Austria, its first recorded owner who had it deposited in the vault of the Hungarian General Credit Bank on 1 June 1933 in the presence of a State Counselor. This was the first record of the existence of the Archduke Joseph diamond. How it made its way into the ownership of Archduke Joseph August of Austria is not known. In 1936 it was sold to an anonymous buyer who is believed to have been a European banker and kept in France, locked away in a safe deposit box, where it remained undiscovered from the German occupation powers during World War II.
According to historian Hans Nadelhoffer, the Briolette of India was cut into its distinctive shape in Neuilly, Paris and sold to Cartier, along with another diamond called the Blue Heart (aka Unzue Heart).
The Dresden Green Diamond has a historical record dating back to 1722, when a London news-sheet carried an article about it in its 25 October-27th edition. It was acquired by Augustus III of Poland from a Dutch merchant in 1742 at the Leipzig Fair.The stone's unique apple green color is due to natural exposure to radioactive materials, as the irradiation of diamonds can produce changes in color. The Dresden Green Diamond has been used to compare natural versus lab-produced green diamonds — it is hoped that it can be used to devise a test to differentiate between naturally green diamonds, which are quite rare, and lab-produced ones.diamond in its hat clasp ornament
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