Treasure of Iran
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Transcript of Treasure of Iran
Iran’s Treasure
It took me nearly two years before I managed to visit the National Treasury of Iran, located in the country's Central Bank in Tehran. We had lived in Tehran from 2007 to 2009, and every day demands such as school runs, work and the general difficulties of moving around in the city's atrocious traffic had prevented my visit for the longest time.
Nor is it easy to plan such a visit when you are not on holiday. e location of the Central Bank is obvious enough - smack in the centre of town - but the Treasury's opening hours are fairly limited, and children below 12 are not allowed. You cannot bring anything into the building - no cameras, no handbags, no coats, no mobile phones - and you have to leave all these items prior to entering at a dodgy outdoor hut with a guardian who hands you over a cheap plastic chip with an Arabic number on it. No access for wheel-chairs. And watch out for any Islamic holidays - although it won't be announced on its homepage, the Treasury for sure will be closed.
When I #nally made it to the Treasury - alone, someone had to stay with the kids - I was greeted by
a queue that rivalled those at the Uffici in Florence or the Louvre just before opening hour. Aer some 40 minutes, it was #nally my turn to step through the security gates and the time-switch operated doors, which guarantees that only a certain amount of people are in the Treasury at any given time.
Once inside, I slowly stepped down into the dungeons of the Central Bank, past a counter where one can purchase a small guide and a set of post-cards depicting the most striking pieces of the collection. en onwards and further downwards, until we reached a small anti-chamber, at the end of which stands the famed „Peacock rone“ (Takht-e Tavous), or rather what many believed it to be. In truth, this throne (penultimate page) is an entirely different specimen to the famous piece that was brought back by Nadir Shah in 1739 from one of his expeditions to India, where he took the piece from the Mughal emperor Muhammad Shah. Aer Nadir Shah’s assassination in 1747, this original Peacock rone disappeared from the records. is is where one turns right into the safe of the Central Bank - a walk-in strong box that contains all the
remaining treasures of the Shah and whose content is still used to back the country’s monetary system.
ere is little available that prepares one for this experience. On an area not much bigger than an average living room, nearly 40 showcases display items of the greatest splendour imaginable. From crowns and diadems to swords and daggers, royal robes to household items such as decanters and pill boxes, there is practically nothing there that is not encrusted with jewels on every free square centimetre. In fact, the impression is so overpowering that aer a while, it completely dulls one’s senses.
e artistry needed to produce all these items was probably at its summit during the 18th century. Later, more and more European in&uence is tangible in the pieces. Indeed, what with the turbulent history of Iran, it is astonishing that so many pieces have survived the tides of time.
Once I had completed the tour that goes around the room either clock-wise or anti-clockwise - depending on the mood of the day (and only one tour is allowed!) - I realised the
most amazing fact: that many glass cases still contain piles and piles of diamonds, rubies, emeralds etc. that the artisans have not found necessary to turn into pieces of art. e heaps of jewels just gives one the sense of what Aladdin must have felt when he looked into the cave for the #rst time.
As it seemingly is not possible to obtain the photo guide to the Treasury ahead of time anywhere in Tehran, I have made the effort to reproduce it <a href="http://www.scribd.com">here</a> for use of any future traveler to Iran. As the items are fairly poorly marked, this guide will hopefully be helpful for prospective visitors to familiarise themselves with the Treasures ahead of the trip there.
e information contained in this booklet is taken from the official guide that can be purchased once inside the Central Bank, and thus are reproduced here without any guarantee for accuracy. For further information on the National Treasury of Iran, refer to· www.iranchamber.com· www.cbi.ir/page/1475.aspx· short video-clip: www.cbi.ir/upload/videos/NJT225k_en.wmv
Iran’s Treasure
Front cover: diadem made of gold, large and small rubies, and diamonds; Fath-Ali Shah period (1798-1834)
Diadem made of platinum and diamonds, 1938
Golden aigrette in a bow shape,encrusted with diamonds, spinels
and emeralds. Made during thereign of Fath-Ali Shah (1798-1834)
Case 1 and 2
These cases contain a number of Kalyans
(waterpipes), dish-covers, vases and
mirrors. They are made from gold and
encrusted with a variety of precious
stones.
Item 5 is a gold decanter with enamel
work containing pictures of flowers and
birds. On the upper half, there are
pictures of women. The item is
considered one of the best examples of
Iranian enamel work.
Case 3
This case holds items such as a
candlestick, several kalyan heads, coffee
cup holders and dish-covers.
The golden candlestick on display here is
decorated with diamonds, emeralds,
rubies, tassels of pearls and emeralds. It
was used with its twin displayed in case
32, on either side of the Peacock Throne,
during cemeronial occasions in Golestan
Palace.
Decanter from 19th century. Green enamel with pearls, rubies and diamonds Golden incense burner, with enamel, diamonds, spinel and emerald
Turquoise coffee cup support set in a scroll design (made during reign of Nasser-ed-din Shah Qajar, 1831-96)
Case 4
In this case, various parts of waterpipes,
tea and coffee pots, an enamelled golden
tray and a variety of household items are
displayed, including an incense burner, a
saddle horn and the coconut-shaped jar
of a waterpipe made of an ostrich egg
shell.
The displayed item is a waterpipe with tray
decorated with diamonds, emeralds,
rubies and pearls. It was made under
Fath-Ali Shah’s reign (1798-1834).
Case 5 and 6
Case 5 is assigned entirely to objects with
Iranian turquoises. The item on display
here is aa water decanter made in the
19th century set with turquoises and
rubies in a spiral around the body.
Case 6 contains a variety of swords and
daggers, as well as a standard.
Case 7 and 8
Aigrettes and hat organments encrusted
with jewels, some dating from the Safavid
dynasty, are on display in case 7. The
aigrette displayed here was made in the
early 19th century. A painting of Fath-Ali
Shah shows him wearing this aigrette
mounted on the Kiani Crown (case 36),
instead of the one that it is carrying
currently.
Case 8 contains small gold boxes, pocket
watches and pen cases, all encrusted with
jewels. One item is a pocket watch with
blue enamel presented to Nasser-ed-Din
Shah (1848-96).
Diamond brooch, with the bird’s eye represented by a ruby Brooches in the form of court jesters, set with diamonds and rubies (19th century)
Aigrette made from gold and silver, encrusted with diamonds (19th century) Golden aigrette with diamonds and emeralds, early 19th century
Case 9 and 10
Case 9 contains a quiver, several swords,
daggers, belts and a pair of saddle bags.
In case 10, ornaments such as brooches,
watch chains, aigrettes and buckles,
decorated with diamonds, are on display.
This brooch is made of gold in a flower
design and is encrusted with diamonds,
rubies and opals. It was made in the 19th
century.
Case 11 and 12
Case 11 holds various objects decorated
with rubies and spinels, as well as loose
rubies and spines in a variety of sizes.
The brooch in the picture was made in
the 19th century in the form of a double
knot made of a set of matching rubies.
In case 12, a number of swords, sword
belts, a rifle and a pair of saddle bags are
displayed.
Platinum diadem with diamonds and rubies, made in 1967
These cases contain a great variety of
pearls from the Persian Gulf. The tassels
of pearls, which can be seen in case
13, weigh a total of 16 kilograms and
were used as throne decorations. Item
3, a flower brooch, carries a baroque
pearl of 600 grains.
In case 14, a little globe decorated with
rubies and various enamelled boxes are
displayed. There are also gold coins
and commemorative medals produced
on various celebratory occasions. The
commemorative coins displayed as
Item 5, for instance, bear the effigy of
Mozzaffar-ed-din Shah. They were
minted in 1900 by the Brussels mint
on the occasion of the Shah’s official
visit to the mint.
Case 13 and 14
Case 15
This case contains a number of
outstanding items. Item 2 is a mirror with
a gold and enamelled frame. This frame is
decorated with diamonds, rubies, spinels
and five pearls, and surrounds the
portrait of young Nasser-ed-Din Shah.
The item was made in 1867.
The ceremonial staff of Hajeb-ed-Dowleh,
Lord Chamberlain to the Shah, is shown
as item 3. The golden staff measures 133
centimetres and is decorated with rubies,
diamonds and enamel, topped by a large
emerald. It was used by the Lord
Chamberlain in front of the king on
ceremonial occasions.
The coronation robe, item 6, is made of
hand-woven silk with a white background
and colourful paisleys. The border carries
6 centimetres of pearl and gold
embroidery.
Case 17
The Nadir Throne displayed here,
although named after him, has no
relationship whatsoever to the 18th
century Iranian ruler. The inscriptions on
the panels located around the seat of the
throne show that it was rather
constructed during the reign of Fath-Ali
Shah (1798-1834).
Fath-Ali Shah’s motive to having this
throne made was to display the pomp
and splendour of his court to his subjects
and to foreign envoys who visited the
king in various summer residences
around Tehran. The throne is composed
of 12 separate parts and carries a total of
26,733 precious stones. It was also used
for the coronation ceremony of
Mohammed Reza Pahlavi.
Case 19, 20 and 21
Case 19 contains the hat of Fath-Ali
Shah’s Crown Prince, Abbas Mirza,
garments of the Qajar period, a robe of
gold, pearls and bead embroidery. Abbas
Mirza’s hat, in the shape of a crown, is
made of red satin and velvet cloth carrying
pearls and gold sequins.
Various insignia and medals can be found
in case 20, as well as a number of gold
boxes, brooches and inkpots.
In case 21, various boxes and watches
are displayed. Item 1, a gold and enamel
carafe, was made in the early 19th
century. Item 3 is a golden flowerpot
totally set with diamonds and rubies. Item
8 is a gold pocket watch set with
diamonds and enamel, a gift by
England’s Queen Victoria to Nasser-ed-
Din Shah.
Case 22 and 23
Case 22 contains a variety of swords and
daggers encrusted with jewels. Item 6, for
instance, is a sword given as a present to
Iran by Alexander II, Czar of Russia. Item
12 is a horse aigrette set with diamonds
and yellow sapphires.
In the next case, broohes, diamond-
studded purses, amulets and bracelets
are displayed. The items displayed are
three brooches carrying large pearls - the
duck a black pearl, and the swans white
ones. Items 69, 72, 78 and 79 are
brooches made of gold and enamel in
the shape of insects and flowers, each
containing a tiny watch (made by Fabergé
in the 19th century).
Case 24 and 25
A variety of diamonds, ranging in size
from less than one carat to 152.16 carat,
and with different cuts, are on display in
case 24. The „celebrated sword“ of Nadir
Shah, item 19, carries a golden scabbard
and is set with 1869 rose cut diamonds.
An enamelled portrait of Fath-Ali Shah
Qajar can be seen on the reverse side.
The weapon is one of the most famous
national treasures of Iran. After the victories
of Nadir Shah it was named „All
Conquering Sword“ and studded with
diamonds. Shah Reza Pahlevi used it at
his coronation in 1926.
Case 25 displays a rifle, a quiver, and
several swords and daggers, all encrusted
with various gems.
Case 26
In this case, jewels used by the Pahlavi
family are displayed. Several pieces were
made on the occasion of the first
wedding of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi in
1938, for which Iranian and French
jewellers were commissioned to make
several new pieces.
Item 1 is a platinum necklace set with 10
large emeralds, 486 diamonds and 4
huge pearls.
Item 2 is a platinum tiara set with 324
diamonds, one of which measures 60
carat and is a pale pink diamond of the
name of „Nur-ol-Ein“. It is speculated that
this diamond was once part of one larger
diamond, together with the Darya-i Nur
(see also below).
Item 25 is a platinum necklace set with
469 diamonds, and item 38 a brooch
set with Burmese rubies and diamonds.
Aigrette with diamonds and sapphires, made in the early 19th century Aigrette from gold and silver, with rubies and diamonds, early 19th century
Case 27
This case contains loose emeralds
weighing from 10 to 320 carats, as well
as objects set with emeralds. Item 1 is a
gold and green enamelled bottle set with
diamonds and rubies. Its stopper is
capped with a big ruby and ornamented
with pearl drops.
Item 6 is a gold watch set with a 55 carat
cabochon emerald.
Another exquisite piece is item 11, a snuff
box set with 92 matching emeralds of
superb quality. It is thought to have been
made in Iran during the first half of the
19th century.
Item 31 is a clasp set containing a very
high quality cabochon emerald weighing
150 carats.
Case 28
This case contains the buckler of Nadir
Shah, and various bejewelled swords and
daggers.
Item 3 (also on the back cover of this
booklet) is the shield of Nadir Shah made
of rhinoceros hide. It was used during the
war with India in 1739-40. The large
rubies, diamonds, spinels and emeralds
were added later to mark the occasion.
Item 7 is a sword with a diamond-
studded hilt and made from Damascus
steel. The scabbard is made of black
leather and set with diamonds and with
golden tassels and clasps. The sword
was presented by the Sultan of the
Ottoman Empire to Nasser-ed-Din Shah
in 1860.
Golden aigrette, with diamonds and sapphire. Produced in Europe, 19th centuryGold and silver necklace, with diamonds, rubies and spinels
Golden diadem with flower and bird motif (early 19th century)
Case 29 and 30
An enamelled gold ewer and basin are
displayed in case 29, as well as the
travelling mirror of Fath-Ali Shah, various
gold coffee cup holders, belts, and a pair
of diamond and sapphire clasps.
Case 30 is assigned to cut and uncut
emeralds and objects set with emeralds.
Item 5 is a tiara set with diamonds and
one emerald, presented by the British
Government during the reign of Fath-Ali
Shah to Aqabaji, his wife. Fath-Ali Shah
purchased it from Aqabaji for 8,000
tomans.
Item 48 is a sword with sheath, handle
and hand guard in gold, set with a total
of 214 emeralds, 64 spinels, 4 sapphires,
275 rubies, and 12,384 diamonds. The
item was presented to Nasser-ed-Din
Shah by his Prime Minister in 1894.
Case 31, 32 and 33
In cases 31 and 32, various golden
objects are displayed, such as waterpipe
(Kalyan) parts, dish-covers, trays and
bottles. Item 34 is a gold tray delicatedly
enamelled by Mirza Baba, a famous
painter during the reign of Fath-Ali Shah.
Case 33 contains household and
personal objects encrusted with precious
stones, such as carafes, ewers, basins,
mirrors, kalyan heads and knives, as well
as gun powder pouches and bowls. Item
18 is a gold ewer with basin, whose
mouth is set with a ring of pearls.
Neighbouring item 19 is a golden rose-
water sprinkler, enamelled and set with
rubies, diamonds and emeralds.
Case 34
Item 1 in this case is the crown used by
Reza Khan and Mohammad Reza
Pahlavi. The item is made of gold and
silver and decorated with diamonds,
emeralds, sapphires and pearls. The fabric
of the crown is red velvet. On the four
sides of the crown are battlement designs
and sunbursts of the four planets, entirely
set in diamonds. The general design of
the object is in the style of the crowns of
the Sassanid Kings (226-651 AD).
This crown, which carries a total of 3,380
diamonds (1,144 carats) and 368 pearls,
and weighs 2,080 grams, was used in
the coronation of Reza Pahlavi on 25
April 1926, and the one of Mohammad
Reza Pahlavi on 26 October 1967.
Case 34
One of the world’s most famous
diamonds is the Darya-i Nur („Sea of
Light“), item 2 in case 34. This diamond
is the largest pink diamond in the world
and takes first place among the vast
amount of diamonds in the National
Treasury of Iran. The stone was passed
on from generation to generation among
the Shahs of Iran, from Nadir Shah to
Nasser-ed-Din Shah, who had a special
fondness for it.
The Darya-i Nur measures approximately
182 and its colour is pale pink, which is a
rarity among diamonds. It is suspected
that the stone was formerly part of a larger
stone of 242 carat, which was split into
the Darya-i Nur and the Nur-ol-Ein of 60
carat. The latter was mounted in the tiara
displayed as item 2 in case 26.
Case 34
Item 3 in this case is a golden belt with a
large emerald of 175.5 carat set in the
buckle, surrounded by 60 brilliant cut
diamonds and 145 rose cut diamonds.
Its total length is 119 centimetres and the
width 4 centimetres. The belt was used
during the coronation of Reza Khan
Pahlavi in 1926.
The Nadir aigrette, pictured here, is item 4
in the case. It is set with diamonds and
emeralds. The central emerald is
cabochon (shaped and polished instead
of faceted). There are 7 diamond-studded
plumes on the aigrette, and 3 drop
emeralds hang from it.
Item 5 is the golden royal scepter. It was
presented to the Shah during his
coronation. Three lions and suns
support a diamond-studded crown with
their right paws.
Necklace of emeralds, diamonds and pearls, made in 1967 Necklace from platinum, with large yellow and smaller white diamonds (1967)
Brooch with diamonds, emearlds, rubies, sapphires and turquoises (19th century) Golden aigrette, with diamonds, rubies, pearls, spinels and emeralds (19th century)
Case 35
This case contains the crown used by
Farah Pahlavi (item 1). It was made, using
select gems from the Treasury, by Van
Cleef et Arpels in 1967. The crown is
from platinum and gold, and encrusted
with 1,469 diamonds, 36 emeralds, 105
pearls, 34 rubies and 2 spinels. Its total
weight is 1,480.90 grams.
Item 4 is a buckle made of 84 cabochon
cut rubies of outstanding quality,
brought to Iran from Myanmar.
Ghamarol Saltaneh necklace, from gold and silver with diamonds and emeraldsPlatinum necklace with diamonds and emeralds, made in 1967
Turquoise and diamond necklace, made of platinum (from the 1960s) Turquoise aigrette depicting sun-rays, made under Nasser-ed-Din Shah’s reign
Case 36
The crown of Fath-Ali Shah Qajar, known
as „Kiani Crown“, features in this case as
item 1. It is set with diamonds, emeralds,
rubies and pearls. The final red stone is
an Aurangzib spinel. The crown was
made during the reign of Fath-Ali Shah,
in 1797, and was used by several of his
successors. It is the first crown made after
the Sassanid dynasty.
Item 4 in this case is a mace made at the
same time as the Kiani Crown. It is set
with spinels and diamonds.
Platinum necklace carrying large yellow and smaller white diamonds (made in 1967)
Case 37
This Globe of Jewels was begun in 1869
by order of Nasser-ed-Din Shah. A group
of Iranian craftsmen, under the
supervision of a Ebrahim Massihi, made
the globe using loose stones from the
Treasury. The net weight of the gold
used for the globe is 34 kilograms, and
the jewels weigh a total of 3,656 grams.
As is recounted often, the skill of the
craftsmen was more in the field of
jewellery-making than in geography, so it
can be somewhat hard to find precise
countries on the globe. Oceans and seas
are identified by emeralds, land is
represented by rubies. South-east Asia,
Iran, England and France are depicted
with diamonds.
The diameter of the globe is about 66
centimetres. The stem is of wood and
studded with gems.
Peacock Throne
Fath-Ali Shah, who reigned from 1798 to
1834, ordered his artisans to make this
throne, which became famous as the
„Sun Throne“ on account of the design
of the sun on the back panel. After he
married Tavous („Peacock“) Tajodoleh, the
throne was renamed „Peacock Throne“.
Some believed it to be the famed throne
brought back from India, but this is not
so.
After Fath-Ali Shah’s death, his successor,
Nasser-ed-Din Shah, ordered the throne
to be changed, and some panels were
added, carrying verses in blue enamel ona
golden background.
The throne was kept in Golestan Palace
until 1981. Due to its rich decoration
with jewels, it was then decided to keep it
with other pieces of the National Treasury
and thus delivered to the Central Bank.
Back cover: shield made from rhinoceros hide, decorated with diamonds, emerals, spinels and rubies (18th century)