I TELL YOU, MAJOR SCOBIE, THAT 1 MAKE MORE MONEY IN ONE YEAR FROM MY SMALLEST STORE THAN 1 WOULD IN THREE YEARS FROM DIAMONDS. You CANNOT UNDERSTAND HOW MANY BRIBES ARE N E C E S SAR Y." - Graham Greene, The Heart of th e Matter, 1948
4TH CENTURY, BC: Diamonds are mined in India. Indian kings and rulers wore uncut stones, which were believed to hold magi- cal properties and bestow courage to the wearer.
2ND CENTURY, BC:
The first instance of rings given as tokens of love and recording marriage contracts is doc- umented in Rome.
13TH CENTURY, AD: In Europe, diamonds are set in jew- elry and regalia. A law by Louis IX of France reserved ownership of diamonds for the king.
4TH CENTURY, AD:
The custom of exchanging wedding rings is Christianized. The rings are only bands and do not include diamonds. The new religion considers diamonds offensive examples of Roman paganism and eastern mysticism.
14TH CENTURY, AD: A diamond cutting industry develops in Venice and later in Paris.
15TH CENTURY, AD: The Portuguese establish a trading center in the Indian town of Goa and a diamond route develops from Goa to Lisbon to Antwerp.
16TH CENTURY, AD: Maximilian I, Hapsburg Archduke of Austria, gives the first-known diamond engagement ring to Mary, the Duchess of Burgundy.
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