Some
emblems,
symbols, or
paraphernalia possessed by rulers are a visual representation of
imperial,
royal, or
sovereign status. Some are shared with
divinities, either to symbolize a god(ess)'s role as, say, king of the
Pantheon (e.g.
Brahman's scepter) or to allow mortal royalty to resemble, identify with, or link to, a
divinity. The term "
crown jewels" is commonly used to refer to regalia items that are designed to lend luster to occasions such as coronations. They feature some combination of precious materials, artistic merit, and symbolic or historical value. Crown jewels may have been designated at the start of a dynasty, accumulated through many years of tradition, or sent as tangible recognition of legitimacy by some leader such as the
pope to an
emperor or
caliph. Each culture, even each monarchy and dynasty within one culture, may have its own historical traditions, and some even have a specific name for its regalia, or at least for an important subset, such as: • The
Honours of Scotland • The
Nigerian Royal Regalia • The
Three Sacred Treasures of the
Emperor of Japan • The
Imperial Regalia of the emperors and kings of the
Holy Roman Empire • The
French Crown Regalia But some elements occur in many traditions.
Headgear •
Crowns and variations (
diadem,
tiara) •
Cap of Maintenance Other regal dress and jewelry •
Armills—bracelets •
Ermine coronation mantle •
Gloves • Barmi (Бармы) or barmas, a detachable silk collar with medallions of precious material sewn to it, as used in
Moscovy •
Rings, symbolizing the monarch's "marriage" to the state (in the case of the
Doge of the Republic of Venice, to its lifeblood, the sea); or as a
signet-ring, a practical attribute of his power to command legally
Hand-held symbols of power of
Bulgaria . •
Orb (globus cruciger) •
Scepter, including the French Hand of Justice •
Mace •
Sword - for examples, see
Sword of Justice;
Sword of State;
Sword of Mercy (known also as
Edward the Confessor's Sword) • Other weapons, such as a dagger (as in Arabian and Indian traditions), a spear, or a royal
kris (in Malay traditions) •
Crook and flail •
Fly-whisk; In Japan, it is said to have some of the power of
Amaterasu. •
Seals, such as the
Heirloom Seal of the Realm, represented imperial authority under the
Mandate of Heaven in China. •
Knobkerrie Other hand-held symbols Regalia can also stand for other attributes or virtues, i.e. what is expected from the holder. Thus the
Imperial Regalia of Japan (, or "Three Sacred Treasures"), also known as the Three Sacred Treasures of Japan as follows: • The sword,
Kusanagi (草薙剣) (or possibly a replica of the original; located at
Atsuta Shrine in
Nagoya) represents
valor • The jewel or necklace of jewels,
Yasakani no magatama (八尺瓊曲玉; at
Kokyo in
Tokyo), represents
benevolence • The mirror,
Yata no kagami (八咫鏡), located in the
Ise Shrine in
Mie Prefecture, represents
wisdom Since 690, the presentation of these items to the
emperor by the priests at the shrine are a central part of the imperial enthronement ceremony. As this ceremony is not public, the regalia are by tradition only seen by the emperor and certain priests, and no known photographs or drawings exist.
Coronation paraphernalia Some regalia objects are presented and/or used in the formal ceremony of
enthronement/
coronation. They can be associated with an office or court
sinecure (cfr. archoffices) that enjoys the privilege to carry, present and/or use it at the august occasion, and sometimes on other formal occasions, such as a royal funeral. Such objects, with or without intrinsic
symbolism, can include • Anointing utensils: • Sacred
ampulla containing the ointment. •
Spoon for the same ointment. • Alternatively, the monarchies of
Norway and
Sweden have an
anointment horn. • A
Bible used for swearing in the
monarch as the new sovereign. • Cage with a bird (wren) for
wren hunting in Celtic ceremonies. •
Coronation stone e.g.
Stone of Scone or
Lia Fáil.
Companions' attributes Apart from the sovereign himself, attributes (especially a crown) can be used for close relatives who are allowed to share in the pomp. For example, in Norway, the queen consort and the crown prince are the only other members of the royal family to possess these attributes and share in the sovereign's royal symbolism.
Reserved color In the
Roman Empire, the color
Tyrian purple, produced with an extremely expensive
Mediterranean mollusk extract, was in principle reserved for the
imperial court. The use of this dye was extended to various dignitaries, such as members of the
Roman Senate, who wore stripes of Tyrian purple on their white
togas, for whom the term purpuratus was coined as a high aulic distinction. In late imperial China, the color yellow was reserved for the emperor, as it had a multitude of meanings. Yellow was a symbol of gold, and thus wealth and power, and since it was also the color that symbolized the center in Chinese cosmology (the five elements, or
wu xing(五行)), it was the perfect way to refer to the emperor, who was always in the center of the universe. Consequently, peasants and noblemen alike were forbidden to wear robes made entirely out of yellow, although they were allowed to use the color sparingly.
Additional display rector's mace •
Umbrella /
canopy •
Fan(s) •
Standard(s) •
Mace(s) • Music, such as • A
fanfare or other specific piece of music • Reserved instruments, such as silver
trumpets, or in India (especially Mewar) the Nakkara
drum • The ceremonial
Nobat orchestra is a formal requirement for a valid
Malaysian
coronation. ==Non-royal regalia==