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WRIT IN STONE
There
is only one description for The Shah. It is a diamond shaped like a
coffin, a coffin in which reposes an undying fire. But that is not the
most important thing about it. It is the only great stone in the world
whose history is literally engraved upon it. There are three separate
inscriptions, which could only have been accomplished through the use
of other diamonds, and because of that the history of the stone is a
matter of specific facts and dates, with no legend attached to it
whatsoever. Which makes it a most remarkable stone.
From
the standpoint of size, or even of beauty, it is not one of the
top-ranking diamonds of the world. It hasn't the size of the Cullinan
or the Excelsior or the Jubilee or the Victoria or the Regent; it
hasn't the beauty of the Nassak or the Regent or the Florentine. But
when it comes to history it stands alone. Its history has been traced,
step by step, until it finally has found itself in the official book,
The Russian Diamond Treasure of the Union of Soviet Republics.
The
Shah is (or was, in October, 1941) an oblong diamond which actually
looks like a coffin in miniature and weighs 88.JJ carats. Let us look
at the three inscriptions engraved upon the gem and review the stories
behind them.
Inscription I reads, translated: "Bourhan-Nizan-Shah II, in the year 1000."
Bourhan-Nizan
was ruler of the Province of Achmed-nager, India, about 1591. The "year
1000" refers to the Mohammedan calendar and indicates that The Shah was
discovered before 1591 a.d. Modern men who come under
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