Imagine the wealth of knowledge about gems and the physical wealth that had to support the development of this advanced learning into the intricacies of them......the glory of tamizagam....
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The following varieties of diamonds are mentioned in the Tanjore inscriptions : mottandarai, mottadarai-chcharakkam and mattadaraichchappali (p. 78, paragraph 3 and p. 79, paragraph 9). Another classification of diamonds appears to have been sappadi (flat diamonds) and urulai (round diamonds) (p. 185, paragraph 48 and p. 195, paragraph 25). In paragraph 8 on p. 78 reference is made to pure diamonds (vayirantuyana) and to the two other varieties pandasaram and savakkam. The flaws in diamonds are mentioned to be porivu (spots), murivu (cracks), kaka-bindu (black dots), rakta- bindu (red dots) and rendana (marks as of burning). Palikkuvayiram "crystal diamond" is mentioned on pp. 78, 87, 162 and 163, and palingu "crystal" on pp. 87, 143, 162, 205, 206, 207, 225, 226 and 237. Rajavartam is mentioned after pavaram in three cases (pp. 69, 143 and 179). Of rajavarta (lapis lazuli) Monier Williams says `it is a kind of diamond or other gem of an inferior quality, said to come from the country of Virata and regarded as a lucky possession though not esteemed as an ornament.' As regads rubies (manikkam) the varieties are : halahalam, halahalam of superior quality (halahalam gunariyana), smooth rubies (komalam), bluish rubies (nilagandhi), unpolished rubies (talam), and sattam, all of which are mentioned on p. 79 paragraph 8. They were also divided into big rubies (pariyana) and small rubies (neriyana). The flaws of rubies are recorded as : cavities (kurivu), cuts (prahaa), holes (rejjam), white specks (lasuni), trasu and such as still adhered to the ore (karparru) As regards potti, which was either a kind of gem or part of a jewel, it has to be noted that it always occurs either with palingu or palikkuvayiram (pp. 143, 163, 196, 205, 206, 207, 225, 226 and 237). Other gems taruppu (p. 205), uppalanilam evidently a variety of sapphire (p. 204) and nail-gangapadikkul (p. 196) are also mentioned. The name of the last is interesting as it appears to have been originally at least obtained from Ganagapadi. Dr. Hultzsch thinks it may be the same as beryl. As regards pearls the following varieties were recognized : round pearls (vattam), roundish pearls (anuvattam), polished pearls (oppumuttu), small pearls (kurumuttu, nimbolam, payittam, old pearls (paramuttu), ambumudu, oruppuravan, irattai, sappatti, sakkattu, karalu, panichchay, tol-teyndana and tolidandana. Their properties were varai, karni, kuru, suppiram, ippiparru, uravina, sivandanir, kuliruda-nir and tirangal, which are also mentioned. The nine gems are referred to in the Tamil poem Silappadigaram where the virtues and flaws of each of them are also given. Of diamonds the author mentions four flaws, viz., kakapadam, kalangam, vindu and egai, while the commentator refers to twelve flaws of diamonds, viz., saraimalam, kirru, sambadi, pilttal, tulai, kari, vindu, kakapadam, miruttu, kodiyillama, koddymurindana and taraimarungina. The five characteristics of diamonds are : eight faces (palagai), six angles (kodi), darni, sutti and tarasa and the four colours, the Brahmana "white", the Kshatriya "red", the Vaisya "green" and the Sudra "black". Consequently the virtues and flaws of diamonds were known in the Tamil country long before the time of Rajaraja.