The Indians discovered diamonds before the 4th millennium BC. The name diamond is derived from the Greek word ‘adamas’, which means impenetrable. This valued gem was traded between India and Mesopotamia. They have been used as a display of prosperity ever since.
The first diamond discoveries in South Africa were alluvial. Diamonds were found on volcanic rocks in farms in Kimberley, South Africa in 1870. Till then, diamonds were always dug from sand and gravel. For a long time the world’s most important rough diamond producers were South Africa, Congo, and the former Soviet Union.
In the 15th century, tools were invented to cut facets into diamonds. Until then, the stones were simply polished, or shaped into a dome, known as a cabochon. The largest diamond in the world is the ‘Star of Africa I’, or ‘Cullinan I’, which is a colourless diamond, set in the British monarch’s sceptre.
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