Page 90 - All About History 55 - 2017 UK

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films causing a stir in the history world

Koh-I-Noor: The hIsTory

of The World’s MosT INfaMous

dIaMoNd How a magnificent jewel became a colonial icon

Authors William Dalrymple and Anita Anand Publisher Bloomsbury Price £16.99 Released Out now

t might seem excessive to write some which adds to its air of mystery. It appears
300 pages about a diamond but, as this in various sources, at times encrusted in an
biography reveals, the Koh-I-Noor is so opulent throne, at other times worn on a
much more than a lump of pressurised turban or armband.
I carbon. It has taken on various One particularly shocking revelation
significances throughout its centuries-long is that the Koh-I-Noor wasn’t always the
history as a symbol of religion and power, a most coveted jewel — at one point it played
spoil of love and war, and, of course, a token second fiddle to the Timur Ruby. But, as
of colonialism. time went on and European tastes came
In 1848, the ten-year-old Maharajah of the into play, the Koh-I-Noor became more
Punjab was forced to hand over the jewel, desired and craved than it had
along with his country, to Queen Victoria. It ever been before.
was later set into the consort’s crown, last Journalist Anand deals with the
worn by the Queen Mother at Elizabeth II’s diamond’s modern history and presents the
coronation. Today the Koh-I-Noor is locked case for its return to India, which brings the
away in the Tower of London, though it is arguments for returning looted artefacts to
on public display. their original homes into play. To this day,
Authors William Dalrymple and Anita no attempt has been made by the British
Anand have written half the book each. government to return the Koh-I-Noor to
Dalrymple, known for his travel writing India, but the book points out that both
and sweeping histories, starts with a Afghanistan and Iran also lay claim to it (at
thorough and fact-laden account of what we one point, the authors suggest splitting the
know, what we might know and what we jewel so that each country can have a piece).
simply can’t know about the origins of this The 16 pages of colour inserts give
dazzling diamond. surprisingly few glimpses of the diamond
However, he does presume the reader’s itself, though perhaps the image of the
knowledge of the Koh-I-Noor’s significance. crown in which it now sits, on the book’s
While this allows the authors to jump jacket, is statement enough. Still, for a
straight into the detail of the story, it is publication about an object revered for
not very welcoming for those unfamiliar its beauty and mystery, it is perhaps
with the diamond. There are also plenty underserved by the images inside. The
of references to carats and other specialist historic Indian paintings are wonderful
jewellery terms that go unexplained. but are rarely given the space they need to
Furthermore, Dalrymple is particularly show their intricate detail.
preoccupied with the fact that the Koh-I- This book gives a thorough history of “To this day, no attempt has
Noor is about the “size of a hen’s egg” — it’s the Koh-I-Noor by two authors who clearly been made by the British
quite remarkable how many times this find its allure fascinating. It is certainly
specific phrase pops up. an entertaining and enlightening read, government to return the
The Koh-I-Noor itself is captured in particularly for those who already have an
glimpses through the first half of the book, interest in the diamond’s dramatic history. Koh-I-Noor to India”
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