Because of their extraordinary physical properties, diamonds have been use symbolically since near the time of their first discovery. Perhaps the earliest symbolic use of diamonds was the eyes of Hindu devotional statures. The diamond themselves were thought to be endowments from the gods and were therefore cherished. The point at which diamonds began to be associated with divinity is not known, but early texts indicate that it was recognized in India since at least 400 BCE. It is said the Greeks believed diamonds were tears of the gods. the Romans believed they were splinters of fallen stars. Many long dead cultures have sought to explain diamond’s superlative properties through divine or mystical affiliations.
In Western culture, diamonds are the traditional emblem of fearlessness and virtue, but have also often associated with power, wealth, crime and misfortune. Today, diamonds are use to symbolize eternity and love, being often seen adorning engagement rings.
- Page name: Diamond
- Author: Wikipedia contributors
- Publisher: Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.
- Date of last revision: 31 December 2005 17:07 UTC
- Date retrieved: 2 January 2006 05:24 UTC
- Permanent link: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Diamond&oldid=33390727
- Page Version ID: 33390727
