New Delhi: If one traces the history of diamonds, one will find that the valuable material originates in India. It was in our country that the diamond was first discovered. Since ancient times, India was the source of nearly all the known diamonds in the world and this streak was broken in 1726 when diamonds were found in Brazil. Before then, diamonds were mined only in India. In this article, we will learn more about the history of diamond mining in India.
The history of diamonds in India
Our tryst with diamonds began in India, where diamonds were first gathered from the rivers and streams. Some historians say India became a diamond trader as early as the fourth century BC. First, they were used by very wealthy classes of the country like the emperors, the kings and the nobles. Later, diamonds found their way from India to Western Europe in caravans and by the 1400s, they became fashionable accessories for the elites in Europe.
In India, the diamond mining industry possibly originated between 700 and 500 BCE and the diamonds sent to Europe were surrounded by myths. In ‘Natural History’, Pliny the Elder described diamonds being washed from river gravel in India which was a correct assumption. Even Kautilya’s ‘Arthashastra’ mentions India’s diamond trade and Buddhist works from the 4th century BCE call the diamond a well-known and precious stone.
The diamond mining mostly occurred by in the drainages of the Krishna River and the Pannar River, currently in Andhra Pradesh. The diamond mining along the Krishna River led to the discovery of some legendary gems, including the famous Koh-i-Noor, the Hope Diamond and the Great Mogul Diamond. India’s diamond production fascinated the Europeans and the likes of Marco Polo and Jean Baptiste Tavernier recorded it.
Karwan, a town near the fortress city of Golconda, became the largest diamond-cutting and diamond-trading centre in the world. Golconda became a centre of major diamond trade and its diamonds became famous as the Golconda Diamonds. Even in Europe, the word’ Golconda’ at that time came to mean a place of great wealth. India was possibly the only source of diamonds till 1726 when diamonds were discovered in Brazil. The diamonds of Brazil began to grow in reputation, hampering the Indian diamond mining which declined at a rapid pace in the 1700s.
Our tryst with diamonds began in India, where diamonds were first gathered from the rivers and streams. Some historians say India became a diamond trader as early as the fourth century BC. knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge
