A French diamond merchant travelled 180,000 miles across 17th-century Asia and wrote about it

historyThe Public Domain Review1640s–1670s · Persia and India

A French diamond merchant travelled 180,000 miles across 17th-century Asia and wrote about it

the gist

Jean-Baptiste Tavernier, a French diamond merchant, made six trading journeys over forty years through Turkey, Persia and India, covering by his own account about 180,000 miles. He became known for a 118-carat blue diamond that he sold to Louis XIV in 1668. Tavernier's published travel accounts describe markets, mines, court life and customs with the precision of a trader, which makes them valuable records of the period. The blue stone was stolen in 1792 and later resurfaced in London as the Hope Diamond.

so what

Tavernier's writings are a rare first-hand record of the 17th-century gem trade and Asian courts. They show how European commerce with India and Persia depended on detailed local knowledge.

Image: The Public Domain Review

source: The Public Domain Review ↗

historyWikipediaclassic1336–1565 · Karnataka, India

Hampi was once one of the world's largest cities, until its Vijayanagara capital was destroyed in 1565

the gist

Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Karnataka, India, with more than 1,600 surviving remains spread over 4,100 hectares. It was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1336 to 1565. Travellers from Persia and Portugal described it as a prosperous, wealthy and grand city with temples, markets and farms along the Tungabhadra River. By 1500 it was estimated to be the world's second-largest city after Beijing, and probably India's richest at the time. In 1565 a coalition of Muslim sultanates defeated the Vijayanagara Empire, its capital was conquered and destroyed, and the city was left in ruins. Hampi remains a religious centre, with the active Virupaksha Temple at its heart.

how it works

The city was built around a fortified core with temples, markets and water structures along the river, supplied by an extensive network of roads and waterworks. When the empire fell, the city was not rebuilt, so its stone monuments were left standing.

so what

Hampi shows how quickly a great city can vanish after a military defeat, and how a ruined capital can remain sacred. Its ruins give historians a view of medieval South Asia that few other sites can match.

fun fact

The name Hampi comes from Pampa, an old name for the Tungabhadra River.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia · text CC BY-SA 4.0

Image: Wikimedia Commons

source: Wikipedia ↗

2 min

politicsshortCNA2:01

False allegations about Singapore’s hand in Indonesia’s markets and a made-up meeting

from CNA

CNA Verify has found close to 400 posts pushing falsehoods tying Singapore to Indonesia’s stock market rout and to a secret meeting that never took place. Together, they drew nearly 12 million views, and some were circulated by accounts that appeared to be working in concert, across multiple social media platforms.

Here’s how the disinformation campaign targeting Singapore was uncovered.

on YouTube: CNA ↗