Kollur Mine
Encyclopedia
Guntur
Guntur , is a city and a municipal corporation in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, located to the north and west of the Bay of Bengal. It is approximately to the south of the national capital, New Delhi and south east of state capital, Hyderabad. Guntur is the fourth largest city in Andhra...
district of old Golkonda
Golkonda
Golkonda or Golla konda a ruined city of south-central India and capital of ancient Kingdom of Golkonda , is situated 11 km west of Hyderabad.The most important builder of Golkonda was a Hindu Kakatiya King...
kingdom, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, was one of the most productive diamond mine
Diamond Mine
Diamond Mine is the second album by Blue Rodeo, released in 1989. It includes several instrumental interludes by Bob Wiseman between songs.-Track listing:All songs by Greg Keelor and Jim Cuddy.#"Swells"#"God and Country" – 3:32#"How Long" – 3:59...
s in India and the first major diamond center. It is situated on the right bank of the river Krishna. It operated between the sixteenth and mid-nineteenth centuries. In addition to the Kollur Mine, the Paritala
Paritala
Paritala is a small village in the Krishna district of the state of Andhra Pradesh, South India.It hosts the tallest statue of Hanuman in India....
, Gollapally
Gollapally
Gollapally is a town of about 6000 residents. Located in Karimnagar district of Andhra Pradesh state in India....
, Mallavally, Ramallakota, and Banganapally were extremely prolific mines in India during this period. At the height of production, it was recorded that around 60,000 people mined the region, including men, women, and children of all ages.
The most celebrated Kohinoor diamond was mined in the Kollur mines.
The famous diamond known as the "French Blue" or the "Tavernier Blue
Tavernier Blue
The Tavernier Blue was the precursor diamond to the Blue Diamond of the French Crown , and subsequently the Hope Diamond. This has been accepted by many historians and gemologists for years and was scientifically proven with 3D imaging and prototyping technology in 2005...
" was purchased by Jean-Baptiste Tavernier
Jean-Baptiste Tavernier
Jean-Baptiste Tavernier was a French traveller and pioneer of trade with India, and travels through Persia , most known for works in two quarto volumes, Les Six Voyages de Jean-Baptiste Tavernier and diamond merchant for some important diamonds of the century...
from the Kollur mine in the mid-17th century. The diamond was purchased from Tavernier by King Louis XIV of France but was stolen during the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
; it is believed to have reappeared as the recut Hope Diamond
Hope Diamond
The Hope Diamond, also known as "Le bleu de France" or "Le Bijou du Roi", is a large, , deep-blue diamond, now housed in the Smithsonian Natural History Museum in Washington, D.C. It is blue to the naked eye because of trace amounts of boron within its crystal structure, but exhibits red...
.. The Indian mines were eventually depleted and the diamond center shifted to Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
where new diamond mines were discovered. Many of the most famous and notable diamonds were mined from these early Indian mines, including the Koh-i-noor
Koh-i-Noor
The Kōh-i Nūr which means "Mountain of Light" in Persian, also spelled Koh-i-noor, Koh-e Noor or Koh-i-Nur, is a 105 carat diamond that was once the largest known diamond in the world. The Kōh-i Nūr originated in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India along with its double, the Darya-ye Noor...
, the Regent Diamond
Regent Diamond
The Regent Diamond is a diamond which is on display in the Louvre. In 1698, a slave found the 410 carat uncut diamond in a Golkonda mine, more specifically Paritala-Kollur Mine in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India and concealed it inside of a large wound in his leg. An English sea captain stole...
, the Great Mogul (all from the Kollur); the Daria-i-Noor, the Orloff, the Dresden Green, and the Idol's Eye.
Notable diamonds
Some of the most famous diamonds mined in Kollur mines are:- Kohinoor (186ct) - British Crown Jewels, London
- The Great Mogul Diamond(787ct) - Lost after Nader ShahNader ShahNāder Shāh Afshār ruled as Shah of Iran and was the founder of the Afsharid dynasty. Because of his military genius, some historians have described him as the Napoleon of Persia or the Second Alexander...
sacked Delhi - The Pitt or Regent DiamondRegent DiamondThe Regent Diamond is a diamond which is on display in the Louvre. In 1698, a slave found the 410 carat uncut diamond in a Golkonda mine, more specifically Paritala-Kollur Mine in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India and concealed it inside of a large wound in his leg. An English sea captain stole...
(410ct) - Apollo Gallery, Louvre Museum, Paris - The Orloff Diamond (300 ct) - Diamond Treasury, KremlinKremlinA kremlin , same root as in kremen is a major fortified central complex found in historic Russian cities. This word is often used to refer to the best-known one, the Moscow Kremlin, or metonymically to the government that is based there...
, Moscow (Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orlov_%28diamond%29) - Nizam DiamondNizam DiamondNizam Diamond is believed to have been the most famous diamond in its time. There are tales about its size, around . The story goes back to the rulers of Golconda, and is believed to found at Kollur Mine. The precious stone gets its name from the Prince Nizam of Hyderabad.The diamond was almond in...
(340ct) - Nizam's Treasury, Hyderabad - Darya-ye NoorDarya-ye NoorThe Darya-ye Noor is one of the largest diamonds in the world, weighing an estimated . Its colour, pale pink, is one of the rarest to be found in diamonds...
(182 ct) - Iranian Crown Jewels, on display:Central Bank of Iran, TehranTehranTehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to... - The Hope Diamond (67ct) - Smithsonian InstitutionSmithsonian InstitutionThe Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
, Washington - The Golconda (135ct) - Dunklings Jewellers, Melbourne, Australia.
- Kolluru (63ct) - Purchased by Tavernier and unknown location
- Dresden Green DiamondDresden Green DiamondThe Dresden Green Diamond, also known as "Dresden Green", is a natural green diamond, which probably originated in the Kollur mine in the state of Andhra Pradesh in the Indian subcontinent....
(41 ct) - Staatliche Kunstsammlungen DresdenStaatliche Kunstsammlungen DresdenStaatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden is a cultural institution in Dresden, Germany, owned by the State of Saxony. It belongs to the most renowned and oldest museum institutions in the world, originating from the collections of the Saxon electors in the 16th century .Today, the Dresden State Art...
"The New Green VaultGrünes GewölbeThe Grünes Gewölbe in Dresden is a unique historic museum that contains the largest collection of treasures in Europe. Founded by Augustus the Strong in 1723, it features a rich variety of exhibits from the Baroque to Classicism...
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