Language: English
Rare and precious stones have always aroused the desire of man. They have been a source of fascination and their perceived value has fluctuated strongly over the millennia. Even today, religion and tradition still influence preferences as well as the changing taste and zeitgeist does. In this year's Precious Stones theme book, renowned scientists and authors provide hard facts and their opinion; giving an exciting insight into this fascinating substance, from detailed descriptions of major gem groups and legendary discoveries to their position in society and religion throughout different cultures. Another focus in this year's show are the traces of mammoths and cave lions back to time of the planet's last ice age. What did the landscape look like? What types of creatures inhabited the land? How did the ice change today's landscape? The articles in the book have all the answers as well as an extended documentation on the discovery of ice age mammoths in the Siberian permafrost.