April Birthstone: Diamond

April’s birthstones are diamonds, and today, according to a famous film icon, they are “a girl’s best friend. But in antiquity, they were especially coveted by men, by warriors more specifically. This had little to do with their sparkliness, as they didn’t have the tools to cut them into the facetted gems that Marilyn adored. The ancients were fascinated by the toughness of the stones, and they called them “adamant”, meaning “unbreakable” or “untameable”. In preparation for battle, kings and generals would attach the stones to their shields, the more the better. This would add strength to the shield and to the fighter. Some said the stones were crystallised tears of the gods, but others were convinced they were splinters of stars. The myths are “adamant” that the material was used for Eros’ arrows, Kronos’ sickle, Prometheus’ chains, Perseus’ sword and the gates of the Tartaros (Greek hell). In this magical sense, adamant has survived in popular culture, as a powerful material in the fantasy universes of books and boardgames.

Eros, Joseph Paelinck, Museum Fine Arts Gent, Belgium

Sad goddess, colourful bust, Archaeological Museum of Amphipolis, Greece