- 193 pages
- English
- PDF
- Available on iOS & Android
eBook - PDF
About this book
The ruby is the world's most precious and rare stone. For the ancient Hindus, the ruby was Rajnapura: the Gem of Gems, at whose heart surges an eternal, unquenchable flame. Yet, for all its rarity and beauty, the ruby has always been a slightly sinister stone. Indian legend says the ruby was born from the blood of a demon. Indeed, the ruby is very close to a wild, living being: fiery, passionate, and dangerous. It has been at the center of love and wars, a symbol of passion, greed, and strong magic. Ancient sages and modern crystal healers have credited it with strange powers—from the granting of prophetic insight to protecting one from bullets. It has long been part of the human journey: coveted, fought over, and feared. Morgan considers all the beautiful and terrifying facets of this magnificent stone: scientific, economic, mythological, and spiritual. She discusses the great stones and great heists of the ruby world—and the famous fakes, too—the great Black Prince and renowned Timur. She closes with a discussion of the making of synthetic rubies and the laser beam.
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Table of contents
- Contents
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- Chapter One: The Conundrum of Corundum
- Chapter Two: Birth of the Stone
- Chapter Three: The Heart of the Matter and a Matter of the Heart
- Chapter Four: Caste, Color, and Cost: It's All Related
- Chapter Five: The Mines of Myanmar and Elsewhere
- Chapter Six: The King of Stones—and the Stone of Kings
- Chapter Seven: Magic in the Stone
- Chapter Eight: Synthetic Rubies, Fake Rubies, and No Rubies at All
- Selected Bibliography
- Index
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Yes, you can access Fire and Blood by Diane Morgan in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Scienze biologiche & Scienza generale. We have over 1.5 million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.