Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-11-23
GEMS OF THE ORIENT.
Three Bushels of Diamonds Found In
side an Idol.


The history of gems in the East, says
Augustus Hamith, is the history of the
governing Princes, for so often has the
course of history in the Orient been af-
fected by ~intrigues about precious stones
that they assume a State Importance.
The traditional diamond in the East is
the Great Mogul. The original weight of
this stone was 1877 carats, but by cutting
it was reduced to 297 carats. The stone
disappeared at the last Tartar invasion,
when treasures to the value of $3.50, 000,-
600 were captured by Nadir Shaw. 1t is
believed to be at present hidden away in
some obscure fortress in Asia Minor, and
it may be recovered 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 n found to contain
three bushels Of diamonds, rubies and
emeralds. Ala-ud-deen obtained from the
Rajah of Mahrattas fifty pounds of dia-
m0nds and rubies, and one hundred
and seventy-fve pounds Of pearls.
Shah Jehan, the greatest Of the Mogul
sOvereigns, left a treasure of incalculable
value at his death, a throne valued at
$4,000, 900 Il a crown worth $l2,0 600, 900.
Tit throne was the celebrated peacock
throne, so called from the images of two
peacOcks which stood before it, each made
of precious stones SO matched in-colOr aud
in position as to resemble the natural
colOrs of the bird. The throne was six
feet long and 4 feet wide, of solid gold,
and crusted with diamonds, rubieS, and
emeralds. Steps of silver led up to it,
while a canopy of gold, frInged with
pearls, supported by u pillars emblaZOned
with gems surrounded the whole. On
each side was a sacred umbrella made of
velvet, embroidered with pearls, the
handle being of gold inlaid with dia-
monds. 1t 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 sew
enteeDth century, was 9 feet long by 3 feet
wide, was made of ebony covered with
plates of gold crusted with gems, and was
valued at $50, 000, coo.
A late traveller in the East, Mr.. East
wick, has recently given a graphic ac-
count of the magniicence of the Persian
Crown jewels. In the Jewel room he found
treasures valued at $35, 000, 900, among
them the crown, a mass of diamonds sur
mounted by a ruby as big as a hens egg.
The Kings belt is a wonder of barbaric
magniticence, weighing about 20 pounds
and composed of a solid mass of diamonds,
rubies, and emeralds. AS Persia is the
native land of the turquoise, it is but ma
tural that the finest stone of this descrip-
ton is to be found in its collection. This
royal specimen is four inches long
perfect in color, and without a
flaw. When the Shah was in Europe,
some years ago, he wore a variety of dia-
monds nj other precious stones that
kept the detectives in a constant fever of
fear lest he should be robbed of some of
them, for one, ever OF the smallest, would
have been a fortune for a h~alf-dozen
thieves. The buttons of his coat were
five in number, and each button was a
diamond larger than the KOhinOor, while
every part Of his clothing seemed to be
useful, not as a covering for his body. but
as places to hang diamonds On.
Very long-wristed gloves of cashmere
or Austrian wool, with ribbed tops, like
a. III IL II