The Book of the Pearl


Book Description




The Book of the Pearl; The History, Art, Science, and Industry of the Queen of Gems


Book Description

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. To ensure a quality reading experience, this work has been proofread and republished using a format that seamlessly blends the original graphical elements with text in an easy-to-read typeface. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.




Book Review Digest


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Pearl


Book Description

From their creation in the maw of mollusks to lustrous objects of infatuation and conflict, a revealing look at pearls’ dark history. This book is a beautifully illustrated account of pearls through millennia, from fossils to contemporary jewelry. Pearls are the most human of gems, both miraculous and familiar. Uniquely organic in origin, they are as intimate as our bodies, created through the same process as we grow bones and teeth. They have long been described as an animal’s sacrifice, but until recently their retrieval often entailed the sacrifices of enslaved and indentured divers and laborers. While the shimmer of the pearl has enticed Roman noblewomen, Mughal princes, Hollywood royalty, mavericks, and renegades, encoded in its surface is a history of human endeavor, abuse, and aspiration—pain locked in the layers of a gleaming gem.




Does Skill Make Us Human?


Book Description

Regulation : how the politics of skill become law -- Production : how skill makes cities -- Skill : how skill is embodied and what it means for the control of bodies -- Protest : how skillful practice becomes resistance -- Body : how definitions of skill cause injury -- Earth : how the politics of skill shape responses to climate change.













Pearls


Book Description

Based on an exhibition at the American Museum of Natural History in New York and The Field Museum in Chicago, this volume tells the story of pearls, which are unique among gemstones because they require no faceting or shaping to bring out their beauty and luster. Landman and Paul M. Mikkelsen of the American Museum of Natural History), and Rudiger Bieler and Bennet Bronson of The Field Museum explore the biology, gemology, anthropology, mineralogy, ecology, and the decorative arts aspects. Starting with the Great Age of Pearls in the 16th and 17th centuries, they move to the history of pearling cultures worldwide, the science of pearl, the development of cultured pearls, and the ecology and conservation of pearl-producing mollusks. Extensively illustrated with color photographs and tables. Oversize: 9.25x11.25". c. Book News Inc.