gems, history of gemology, history of mineralogy, history of mining

Sinkankas: A disappointing work, and considering the author’s qualifications, one of very little merit—obviously hastily composed and written as a speculative essay with virtually no facts, figures, or references to support its statements. Overall, it consists of broad generalizations about what might have happened in antiquity during humanity’s search for and exploitation of underground mineral wealth. As far as I can find, the only mention of gemstones—specifically diamond and ruby—appears on page 41, and even that is grossly inaccurate.