Kalimantan, on the island of Borneo, literally means “river of diamonds”. For many centuries, Borneo was a source of diamonds for early Indian and Arab merchants, and later, European trading companies. From a small diamond deposited in a temple in Kedah around the 9th or 10th century to annual tributes to the Chinese emperor in the 17th century, subjects of this talk will include the history of Borneo’s diamonds and the use of this precious gem throughout the world. A short discussion on dating, setting, and cutting styles of diamondset ornaments on display in ACM’s Jewellery gallery will follow.
When: 18 Mar 2021,
By: Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM)
