Rocks, ice and dirty stones : diamond histories
Pointon, Marcia R.2017
Books, Manuscripts
The king of stones, valued since antiquity for their unrivalled hardness, diamonds today are both desired and deplored. Once faceted and polished they glitter on the fingers of brides-to-be and in the ornaments of the super-rich, but their extraction from some of the world's poorest countries remains contentious. Immensely valuable for their size, diamonds can be easily hidden and transported, making them perfect contraband. Diamonds have been widely used in industry since the 19th century and have long been valued for their pharmaceutical and prophylactic properties. This entertaining and richly illustrated book examines the history of the diamond trade through the centuries from India and Brazil to South Africa and Europe and investigates what happens to diamonds once they reach the cutters and polishers.
Main title:
Rocks, ice and dirty stones : diamond histories / Marcia Pointon.
Author:
Pointon, Marcia R., author
Imprint:
London : Reaktion Books, 2017.
Collation:
256 pages : illustrations (black and white, and colour) ; 25 cm
Notes:
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN:
9781780237527 (hbk)
Dewey class:
338.2782
LC class:
HD9677.A2
Language:
English
BRN:
1872210