Crowns through the Ages - gallery

Published by Reblogs - Credits in Posts, July 19th, 2024

Crowns have been used for millennia as a symbol of power, rank, and distinction.

By Mark Cartwright

Historian

Introduction

Crowns have been used for millennia as a symbol of power, rank, and distinction, both for rulers and religious leaders. In this gallery of images, we take a look at some fabulous, unusual, and even slightly odd crowns that were worn in cultures across the globe stretching in time from ancient Egypt to modern Britain.

Some ancient Korean crowns have feather or wing-like decorations, which suggest the importance of birds in Silla culture, a fact corroborated by Chinese records noting that the cultures prior to the Silla kingdom buried bird’s wings with their dead. In shamanism, which was prevalent in early Korea, wings are associated with flight in the spiritual world. For this reason, some scholars suggest that the stag-like pieces on the crown diadem are also stylised bird feathers.

British Imperial State Crown

The Imperial State Crown of the monarchy of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Island. Used in coronations and other state events, it contains the famous Black Prince’s ruby (actually a balas or spinel), the Cullinan II diamond, the Stuart Sapphire, Saint Edward’s Sapphire, over 2,800 diamonds, 15 more sapphires, 11 emeralds, and four rubies. The crown is part of the British Crown Jewels which are held in the Tower of London.

The Pahlavi Crown

The Pahlavi Crown, first worn by Reza Shah Pahlavi, Shah of Iran, at his coronation in April 1926. The design reminds of the rulers of the Sassanid dynasty (3rd-7th centuries CE). Made of gold and silver on a red velvet backing. Weighing just over two kilograms, the crown is studded with almost 3,400 diamonds including a brilliant yellow diamond of 60 carats. Other decoration includes many pearls and sapphires, including a 20 carat sapphire.

Modern Replica of the Imperial Russian Crown

Modern replica of the Russian imperial crown, made as part of the Jewellery project "Creation of Imperial Crown of Russia in modern interpretation" to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the diamond industry in Russia, using white gold (the original used silver) and 11,426 diamonds (original 4,936). The spinel in the replica was replaced with a unique natural red tourmaline with a mass of about 400 karats.

Queen Mary’s Crown with Koh-i-Noor Diamond

Queen Mary’s Crown, part of the British Crown Jewels. The crown was created in 1911 CE. The central stone is the Koh-i-Noor diamond which is now part of the Crown of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother and which is sometimes removed for Elizabeth II (r. 1953 CE -) to wear as a pendant. The crown is held at the Tower of London.

Imperial Crown of India

Photo courtesy Pietro & Silvia, Flickr, Creative Commons

The Imperial Crown of India, worn by King George V (r. 1910-1936) at the Delhi Durbar of 1911. The crown is notable for the square emerald in the top cross and it is studded with over 6,000 diamonds.

Tiara of Pope Pius IX

Courtesy Office for the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff, Wikimedia Commons

The tiara of Pope Pius IX (in office 1846-1878). Made in 1854. Made of a trio of gold crowns set with diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, pearls, and other jewels around a silver-thread fabric. It measures 35 cm (13.7 in) in height and diameter: 24 cm (9.4 in) in diameter.

Crown of Napoleon I

The crown of Napoleon I, created for his coronation on 2 December 1804, based on the crown of Charlemagne.

Portuguese Silver Crown

A silver crown with diamonds from Portugal c. 1800. The crown measures 19.4 × 14.6 cm or 7 5/8 × 5 3/4 in.

Vajracharya Priest’s Crown

A gilded and turquoise Vajracharya Priest’s Crown from Nepal. Vajracharya was the highest rank of priesthood. Made in 1717. Height: 12 in. (30.5 cm). Width: 7 1/2 in. (19.1 cm). The inscription includes a warning for those who covet the crown.

Headdress of Motecuhzoma II

Photo by Jonathan, National Museum of Anthropology, Flickr, Creative Commons

The headdress of Motecuhzoma II, Aztec ruler 1502-1520 CE. Although there is no evidence that it was ever worn by Motecuhzoma the headdress may have been amongst the gifts he gave to Cortés, who in turn passed them on to Charles V. This is an exact replica of the original now in the Museum für Völkerkunde of Vienna. It is made with 450 green quetzal, blue cotinga and pink flamingo feathers and is further embellished with gold beads and jade disks.

Imperial Crown of Austria

Photo by Dennis Jarvis, Imperial Treasure (Vienna), Flickr, Creative Commons

The Imperial Crown of Austria. Made in 1602, this crown has been used by the Habsburg monarchs of Austria, the Holy Roman Empire, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and the kings of Hungary and Bohemia. The crown combines the traditional crown form of secular rulers with the mitre form of religious leaders. It is embedded with diamonds, precious stones, and pearls. The large stone at the very top is a blue-green emerald.

Crown of Saint Wenceslaus

A replica of the Crown of Saint Wenceslaus. The Bohemian Duke Wenceslaus I (r. 921-935) was given the honorary title of king by Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor (r. 962-973) and made a saint. This crown was made in his honour in the mid-14th century for the coronation of Charles IV, King of Bohemia and Holy Roman Emperor (l. 1316-1378). Made of gold with sapphires, emeralds, pearls, and other precious stones. The orginal crown is not on public display and is kept in St. Vitus Cathedral, Prague.

King Louis IX Carrying the Crown of Thorns

Created in Tours, France, sometime between 1245-1248 CE, this stained glass panel depicts King Louis IX (r. 1226-1270 CE) carrying the crown of thorns.

Clay Maya Nobleman Figure

Maya Nobleman, Jaina, Maya culture, Late Classic Period, c. 600-900 CE. Campeche, Mexico. Fired clay with remnants of paint.

Silla Gold Crown

A gold crown of the Silla kingdom, Korea. From the Auspicious Phoenix Tomb, Geumseong (Gyeongju), 5-6th century CE. The crown is made of sheet-gold and decorated with granulation and crescent-shaped jade pendants. The tree-like upright parts illustrate links with shamanism.

Gold Gaya Crown

Photo by Pressapochista, National Museu of Korea, Flickr, Creative Commons

A gold crown from the Gaya confederacy, 42-532 CE, southern Korea.

Gold Silla Crown

Photo by Jeff & Neda Fields, Gyeongju National Museum, Flickr, Creative Commons

A gold crown of the Silla kingdom, Korea. From the Great Tomb at Hwangnam, Geumseong (Gyeongju), 5-6th century CE. The crown is made of sheet-gold and decorated with granulation and crescent-shaped jade pendants. The tree-like upright parts illustrate links with shamanism.

Votive Crown from Visigothic Spain

This Visigothic votive crown is from 7th-century Spain, and it was made from gold, elements of nacre, amethysts, sapphires, emeralds, and glass beads. It was discovered in 1860 in the "Treasure of Guarrazar" near Toledo, Spain.

Gold Silla Cap

Photo by Matt & Nayoung, Gyeongju National Museum, Flickr, Creative Commons

A gold Silla crown cap from Cheonmaching (the ‘Heavenly Horse Tomb’), Gyeongju, Korea. It is made from four gold plates bent and riveted together. 6th century CE.

Japanese Gilt Bronze Crown

A gilt bronze crown. Nihon Matsuyama Tumulus, Eiheiji-cho, Yoshida-gun, Fukui, Japan. Kofun Period, 5th century CE.

Kofun Period, Gilt Bronze Crown

A gilt bronze crown. Nihon Matsuyama tumulus, Eiheiji-cho, Yoshida-gun, Fukui, Japan. Kofun Period, 5th century CE.

Gold Olive Wreath

Photo by Carole Raddato, Archaeological Museum, Thessaloniki, Greece, Flickr, Creative Commons

4th century BCE gold Olive wreath from Macedonia, both a religious symbol and indicator of social position and power.

Pharaoh, Book of the Dead

A detail from the Book of the Dead of Tayesnakht from Thebes, Ptolemaic Period, 332-30 BCE. Pharaohs often wore two crowns to signify the unification of Lower and Upper Egypt.

A small bust of Akhenaten (r. 1353-1336 BCE) pharaoh of Egypt in the 18th Dynasty. He is wearing the crown of Egypt.

Originally published by the World History Encyclopedia, 01.05.2024, under a Creative Commons: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported license.

https://brewminate.com/heavy-it-lies-a-gallery-of-crowns-through-the-ages/