of
this kind has been in the Russian Treasury at Moscow for over two
hundred years. Dr. Stewart Culin, the archaeologist, who has paid much
attention to Chinese customs, informs us that the black and white
counters made for use in games by the Chinese are called black and
white pearls.
Dr.
T. Nishikawa writes us in 1908 that pearls were used in Japan for
ornamental purposes more than a thousand years ago. Large abalone
pearls are found in images of Buddha made in 300 a.D. Freshwater
pearls, usually from Dipsas and Unio, were also used. A beautiful
color-print was made by Hoku'ai of the first pearl, called "tide-jewel"
by the Japanese.
Most
interesting pearls are those in a brooch in the British Museum, which
was discovered in 1839 while excavating a sewer opposite Lud-gate Hill
in Thames Street, at the depth of about nine feet, in a dark-colored
artificial stratum of earth, unaccompanied by any remains that could
aid in throwing light upon its history. It is four inches and a half in
circumference, and is composed of a circular compartment an inch and a
quarter in diameter, set with variegated enamel, representing a
full-faced head and bust, with a crown on the head, and the drapery of
a mantle, formed of threads of gold effectively arranged so as to mark
the features of the face and the folds of the drapery; this is inclosed
in a border of rich gold filigree-work, set at equal distances with
four pearls.1 Dr. Charles Roach Smith attributes this brooch
to the time of King Alfred, and supposes it to have been executed in
England by a foreign artist. He only ventures a conjecture that the
head might be that of King Alfred.
Crowns,
both ancient and modern, are richly ornamented with pearls. We shall
treat of the crown of the Holy Roman Empire and of the imperial
Austrian crown in the following chapter. One of the most interesting
and ancient is the famous crown of Khusrau II (reigned 590-638), made
in the latter part of the sixth century, which was brought to light by
Shah Abbas after a thousand years of concealment in an obscure
fortress among the mountains of Lauristan. It does not contain diamonds
among its ornaments, but is incrusted with pearls and rubies.2
From
the representation given on the cup of Khusrau, the throne of the
Sassanian Persian kings appears to have been as large as a couch ; it
was supported by four winged animals, whose model had been borrowed by
the Sassanians from their ancestors, and it was covered with an
embroidered stuff thrown over mattresses and cushions. If we
1 From a letter of Charles Roach Smith, 2 Augustus C. Hamlin, "Leisure Hours
Esq.,
F. S. Α., to John Gage Rokewode, Among the Gems," Boston, 1884, p. 22.
F. R. S. "Archasologia," Vol. XXIX, p. 70.
