14^8 SYSTEMATIC DESCRIPTION OF PRECIOUS STOxNES 



much wealth. After the working of these mines had ceased, their very situation became 

 ■completely forgotton ; they were at one time supposed to lie five days' journey west of 

 'Golconda, near the junction of the Bhima and Kistna rivers, and eight or nine days' journey 

 from Visapur (now Bijapur); the researches of V. Ball have now, however, practically 

 established the identity of these mines with the Ramulkota mines of the present day. 



3. The EUore ( or Golconda) Group on the Kistna River. 



The mines of this group are situated on the lower portion of the Kistna river and 

 include some of the oldest and most famous of Indian diamond mines, the largest and most 

 beautiful of Indian stones having been derived from these so-called Golconda mines. They 

 derive their name, not from their situation, but from the fact that the diamonds from these 

 mines were sent to the market held near the old fortress of Golconda, not far from 

 Haidarabad, this being also the market for stones from Chennur. At the time of 

 Tavemier's visit to these mines, more than twenty were being worked, most of them being 

 extraordinarily rich. With two or three exceptions, the whole were later deserted, and the 

 situations of many of them, including some which Tavernier described as being most famous, 

 are now forgotten. 



The richest of the mines to the east of Golconda were those of Kollur, which lies on 

 the right bank of the Kistna, west of Chintapilly and in latitude 16° 42^' N. and longitude 

 80° 5' E. of Greenwich. This place was referred to by Tavernier under the name Gani 

 Coulour, and now sometimes figures as Gani. This latter is a native word said to signify 

 "mine," while the word Coulour, from which is derived the now common place-name Kollur, 

 is of Persian origin. These mines are not identical, as has often been supposed, with the 

 also far-famed mines of Partial ; the latter, which will be described below, are situated 

 somewhat further east and on the left bank of the Kistna. 



The discovery of the diamantiferous deposit at Kollur was made about 100 years before 

 Tavemier's visit, namely, about 1660. A 25-carat stone was first accidentally found, and 

 numerous others soon followed, many weighing from 10 to 40 carats, and some still more. 

 TTie quality of the stones, however, was not always as satisfactory as their size, cloudy and 

 impure specimens being frequent. Such famous diamonds as the " Koh-i-noor," now in 

 the English crown jewels, and the " Great Mogul," the whereabouts of which, unless it 

 is identical with the " Koh-i-noor," is now unknown, were very probably found in these 

 mines, in addition to some beautiful blue stones, including the " Hope Blue " diamond. 

 Tavernier stated that 60,000 people were engaged in these mines at the time of his visit ; 

 to-day, however, they are completely deserted, as are also numerous other workings 

 situated in the valley of the Kistna, between Kollur and Chintapilly, and between the 

 latter place and Partial. The diamonds here lie in a loose alluvium, which is thus a 

 diamond-sand. 



In following the course of the Kistna river, a little beyond where it is joined by the 

 Munyeru river, to the east of Chintapilly, we reach the Partial mines, standing on the left 

 bank of the river. These mines also were formerly very rich and probably yielded the 

 " Pitt " or " Regent " diamond, now in the French crown jewels. The workings, which are 

 here in the loose decomposed mass of the diamantiferous bed and in the river alluvium, have 

 been abandoned for a long period, although the diamantiferous bed is probably not exhausted ; 

 in 1850, according to Dr. Walker, only two mines of this group were being worked. Near 

 to Partial, and belonging to the same group, are the old mines of Wustapiliy, Codavetty- 

 Kallu, &c. ; the latter is said to have been especially rich, there being a legend to the effect 



