tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9512229.post7574123588211937728..comments2023-09-16T05:28:35.423-07:00Comments on Quests of the Dragon and Bird Clan: Ancient Southeast Asian nephrite trade confirmedPaul Kekai Manansalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17929956945080453339noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9512229.post-89645147411282697152007-12-11T16:17:00.000-08:002007-12-11T16:17:00.000-08:00Paul, I thought that Southern China had a signific...Paul, I thought that Southern China had a significant relatively ancient diamond dust mining industry, which if I recall correctly was employed for polishing hard stone axes/adzes and thus likely for boring through jade and other ornamental stone as well. Sand quartz is very hard, but diamond is incomparable. Perhaps lack of diamond on Taiwan was an incentive for the jade trade to and from China and south east Asia? Although diamond dust would not rot/rust/decompose, it would be unlikely to find much if any at an archeaological site. Perhaps also, diamond dust was mixed with hard silica sand, this would produce both a fast grinding and smooth polishing effect. (copied to Austric yahoo group by DDeden)DDedenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10033851770461086341noreply@blogger.com