Abstract
The author is concerned less with the semantics of the material culture of precious objects than with the social and economic practices associated with them. Like other objects, the valuables belonging to the imperial princes were integrated in processes of transfer and circulation. The raw materials of the jewels - including pearls and precious stones - had to be procured and processed, and once the treasures had been fashioned and distributed they changed hands regularly. By the time a jewel graced the hand of a prince it had behind it a long history of transfer and transformation. This chapter is a first attempt to explore this history by illuminating the circulation of jewels in Europe, the role of jewellery merchants in acquiring the precious pieces and their itineraries between India and the Holy Roman Empire. Keywords:German imperial princes; HolyRoman Empire; jewellery merchants; jewels; material culture
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