The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1884-12-13
GEMS OF THE ORIENT
hree Bushels of Diamonds Eaun5
Inside Of an Ancient Idol,

The history of gems in the East is the
history of the governing princes, for so
often has the course of history in the
Orient been affected by intrigues about
precious stones that they assume state
OF Importance. The traditional diamond
IN the East is the Great Mogul. The
original weight of this stone was 7s7
carats. The stone disappeared at the
last Tartar invasion, when treasure to
the value of S35O,OOO, 900 was captured
by Nadir Shah. 1t is believed to be at
present hidden away in some obscure
fortress in Asia Minor, and it may be re.
covered at some future time. Some idea
OF the abundance of precious stones in
the East may be gained from the fact
that when Mahmoud, in the eleventh
century, captured Sumnat, an idol statue
was broken open and found to contain
three bushels of diamonds, rubies and
emeralds. Ala.ud.deen obtained from
the Rajah of Mahrattas fifty pounds of
diamonds and rubies and It's pounds of
pearls. Shah Jehan, the greatest of the
Mogul sovereigns, left treasure of in
calcnlable value at his death, throne
valued at $50, 900, 900 and a crown worth
Sl20OO,0O0 The throne was the cele.
brated peacock throne, so called from the
images of two peacocks which stood be-
fore it, each made of precious stones so
matched in color and position as to re-
semble the natural colors of the bird.
The throne was six feet long and four
feet wide, of solid gold and crusted with
diamonds, rubies and emeralds. Steps
of silver led up to it, while canopy of
gold, fringed with pearls, supported by
twelve pillars emblazoned with gems,
surmounted the whole. On each side
was sacred umbrella made of velvet,
embroidered with pearls, the handle be-
ing of gold inlaid with diamonds. It
was the most costly work of art ever
made. Its only rival was the cerulean
throne of the House of Bahmenee in the
Nisam. This was built in the seven
teenth century, was nine feet long by
three feet wide, was made of ebony, GOV.
cred with plates of gold crusted with
gems, and valued at $50, 100000.
A late traveller in the East, Mr.. East.
wick, has recently given graphic ac-
count of the magnifcence of the Persian
Crown jewels In the jewel-room he
found treasures valued at S35, 900, 900,
among them the crown, a mass of dia-
monds surmounted by ruby as big as a
hens egg. The Kings belt is wonder
of barbaric magnifcence, and composed
of solid mass of diamonds, rubies and
emeralds. As Persia is the native land
of the turquois, it is but natural that the
finest stone of this description is to be
found in its collection. This royal speci-
men is but four inches long, perfect in
color and without flaw. When the
Shah was in Europe, some years ago, he
wore a variety of diamonds and other
precious stones that kept the detec.
tives in constant fever of fear that he
should be robbed of some of them, fol-
one, even of the smallest, would have
been fortune for half dozen thieves
The buttons of his coat were five i'll NUM-
ber, and each button was diamono
larger than the Kohinoor, while every
part of his clothes seemed to be useful
not as covering for his body, but as place
to hang diamonds on.