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Abstract
Abstract
The geographies where Muslims lived in the Middle Ages had very fertile lands in terms of underground and aboveground resources. In the vast lands from China and India in the east to Muslim Spain in the west, from the Caucasus in the north to Central Africa in the south, all metals including gold and silver, as well as all kinds of precious stones, primarily ruby and pearls that those were kinds noble stones and also their trades were done. Preserving the vitality of these two areas (production and trade) was of course possible by introducing precious stones into the market in the form of jewellery and ornaments after very important processes. The excessive demand and passion of use, especially for the expensive ones of these stones and the luxury items made from them, of the palace members and rich stratum in the Islamic world, inevitably enlivened the market. For this reason, particularly ruby, ruby-like and pearl-like gemstones found buyers at very high prices in the Islamic world. However, as inexpensive precious stones also found significant buyers, especially from the middle and poor strata, they were put into the market in large quantities.
Jewellery prices in the medieval Islamic world varied greatly from one country to another, from one age to another. At the same time, according to the commercial skills and skills of the merchants dealing with this professional, the craftsmanship of ornaments made of precious stones, the economic fluctuations of the period (such as prosperity and crisis periods), and the proximity and distance of the quarries from the place of sale, there were great differences.
In this study, we tried to make an evaluation in the light of the information given by our sources about jewellery prices, which had a vibrant production and trade in the Early and Late Middle Ages since the birth of Islam. In addition, we have not neglected to mention other aspects of precious stones in order not to overwhelm the work with numbers. With this situation, the study inevitably exceeded the limit for readers and researchers. If we have a fault, be forgiven!
Keywords
Abstract
Abstract
The geographies where Muslims lived in the Middle Ages had very fertile lands in terms of underground and aboveground resources. In the vast lands from China and India in the east to Muslim Spain in the west, from the Caucasus in the north to Central Africa in the south, all metals including gold and silver, as well as all kinds of precious stones, primarily ruby and pearls that those were kinds noble stones and also their trades were done. Preserving the vitality of these two areas (production and trade) was of course possible by introducing precious stones into the market in the form of jewellery and ornaments after very important processes. The excessive demand and passion of use, especially for the expensive ones of these stones and the luxury items made from them, of the palace members and rich stratum in the Islamic world, inevitably enlivened the market. For this reason, particularly ruby, ruby-like and pearl-like gemstones found buyers at very high prices in the Islamic world. However, as inexpensive precious stones also found significant buyers, especially from the middle and poor strata, they were put into the market in large quantities.
Jewellery prices in the medieval Islamic world varied greatly from one country to another, from one age to another. At the same time, according to the commercial skills and skills of the merchants dealing with this professional, the craftsmanship of ornaments made of precious stones, the economic fluctuations of the period (such as prosperity and crisis periods), and the proximity and distance of the quarries from the place of sale, there were great differences.
In this study, we tried to make an evaluation in the light of the information given by our sources about jewellery prices, which had a vibrant production and trade in the Early and Late Middle Ages since the birth of Islam. In addition, we have not neglected to mention other aspects of precious stones in order not to overwhelm the work with numbers. With this situation, the study inevitably exceeded the limit for readers and researchers. If we have a fault, be forgiven!