336 THE DIAMOND
materially
in value in India, not only at different times, but at the same time in
different principalities, as they do yet. The rati varied from about
1.85 grains to 2.49 grains. In Sambhulpur it was equivalent to about
1.86 grains. The ruttee of India now, for pearls, equals 2.85 grains,
but in Delhi, for gems and the precious metals it is equivalent of 1.25
grains: in Surat=i.9S grains; Bengal = 2.25 grains; Sindh = 2.49
grains. Tavernier rated a rati at 7/8, of a carat, which, if he used the French carat, would equal about 2.78 grains.
The " mangelin " or " mangelyn " of Golconda and Visapur was equivalent to 1-3/8 carats.
The oitava of Brazil equals about 17-1/2 carats or to be exact, 55.34 grains. The grao is ..77 grains, or about 1/4 of a carat.
Engraved Diamonds.
The
third stone of the second row in the Jewish High Priest's breastplate,
according to the biblical translation, was a diamond, and in common
with the others had the name of a tribe of Israel engraved upon it. The
name given to this stone in the ancient writings, " Jahalom," may have
represented the diamond. Some Hebrew scholars think it did. More, think
the name stood for some other stone, probably agate. It is possible
that the diamond was intended, though the stone used may have been
another but similar stone, as the ancients undoubtedly confused
different colorless transparent stones with the diamond. The supposed
diamond might have been white zircon, topaz or rock crystal, though
thought to be diamond. If the stone was really diamond, the art of
engraving diamonds must be
