Royal Spinel (LNS 1660 J)

The Mughals, a treasury of the world » Royal Spinel (LNS 1660 J)

Royal Spinel (LNS 1660 J). Image courtesy of © The al-Sabah Collection, Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah, Kuwait.

Inscribed royal spinel (balas ruby) weighing 249.3 carats 4.8 x 3.6 x 1.8 cm
This majestic stone is inscribed with the names of its six imperial owners and has the distinction of having the second-most number of such inscriptions. It was a gift from the Safavid Shah Abbas the Great of Iran to the Mughal emperor Jahangir in 1621.
This spinel is inscribed:
1. Timurid, Ulugh Beg (before 1449)
2. Safavid, Shah Abbas I (1617)
3. Mughal, Jahangir (1621)
4. Mughal, Shah Jahan (undated)
5. Mughal, Alamgir (Aurangzeb) (1659 – 1660)
6. Durrani, Ahmad Shah (1754 – 1755)

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4 responses

7 07 2010: Caroline Mawer (18:32:13) :

Thanks for this great image!
I hope you don’t mind that I’ve added a link to it from my own blog on Iranian history – I have several postings on Safavid jewels, but ‘your’ spinel is featured on http://www.carolinemawer.co.uk/blog/?p=138
And many congratulations for your recent Blog Award!
Caroline Mawer

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9 07 2010: The wondering wanderer (08:20:26) :

Thanks Caroline for your feedback. The image is actually provided by the al-Sabah collection. I think you have an excellent blog and it gives an comprehensive insight into Iranian history and I will certainly visit it regularly! The award results would only be announced on Saturday 10 July 2010. 🙂

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12 07 2010: Caroline Mawer (17:14:57) :

So now I’ve checked out what happened on the 10th.
And you did really really well! So please let me repeat my Congratulations!
Best wishes
Caroline
13 07 2010: The wondering wanderer (14:30:32) :

Thanks Caroline! 🙂