subject: Diamonds in Social History [print this page] Diamonds in Social History Diamonds in Social History
The wearing of jewelery is as ancient a custom as any on record and appeared in early societies to be of primary importance after the seeking of food and shelter. It has been conjectured that the wearing of pretty stones was originally motivated by a desire to remember the spring with its promise of food and warmth, and later became the personal adornment or the symbol of rank or wealth that it is today.
Large diamonds were badges of rank worn by rulers and also convenient portable wealth in the early days of India. Most of the historical diamonds that still exist are Indian and all havehad eventful and sometimes bloody histories. Diamonds' effect on social history has been mainly because they are possibly the greatest concentrated form of wealth which is negotiable almost anywhere. They have played a part in many upheavals and during recent world wars paid the way for the escape of refugees from totalitarian tyrannies. From at least the fourth century B.C., India traded in diamonds, taxed them and exported them. There had long been trade between India and Babylon, Mesopotamia, Syria, Israel, Egypt, Ceylon, and Arabian countries. Diamonds that reached the western part of the Roman Empire were prized for their magical powers, but Rome also re-exported them to China as tool bits set in iron holders for cutting jade and drilling pearls during the first five centuries A.D. There were no superstitions in China to deny this use and, even as tools, they were still regarded as presents fit for kings. The Arabs and Persians monopolized trade between the Roman Empire and East Asia and, during the Middle Ages, between Europe and East Asia, until the sea route to India was discovered. It appears that they retained for themselves many of the finest diamonds from India and sold the poorer and smaller ones. The Arab, Teifasehius, issued the earliest price list of diamonds that has been discovered in the twelfth century.
