The Sphere of Destiny
Sphere of Destiny --photo courtesy of the Conlin Collection,
The Sphere of Destiny is an approximately 10 pound, highly-polished sphere of flawless, natural quartz crystal. It has a diameter slightly more than five inches.
There are only a few flawless quartz crystals of this size existing in the world, but it is it's singular history that gives this ancient object such great value.
There is a documented provenance dating it back to the 13th Century, when it was first smuggled out of Acre with the fall of the Knights Templars there in 1291.
In the Templar's histories the Sphere of Destiny is said to have been carved from a powerful seer's stone--one reputed to be the original Eye of Cleopatra or Cleopatra's Eye.
Cleopatra's famous "Eye" was a large rough quartz stone that had been ground and polished as smooth as glass on one of its upper surfaces. Staring into the dark depths of the crystal was supposed to reveal images of both the past and future. Cleopatra is said to have first seen the face of Mark Anthony in this stone.
The Eye was considered ancient even in the time of Cleopatra--a relic from a period long before written history.
It had somehow come into the possession of the Knights Templars during the mid-13th Century, C.E. at a time when the order was on it's ascendancy and extremely wealthy, collecting objects of power and art from all over the East.
The Templars had the more than 25 pound stone carved into a perfect sphere and polished. The crystal ball that was created was flawless and fantastically clear.
There are only a few flawless quartz crystals of this size existing in the world, but it is it's singular history that gives this ancient object such great value.
There is a documented provenance dating it back to the 13th Century, when it was first smuggled out of Acre with the fall of the Knights Templars there in 1291.
In the Templar's histories the Sphere of Destiny is said to have been carved from a powerful seer's stone--one reputed to be the original Eye of Cleopatra or Cleopatra's Eye.
Cleopatra's famous "Eye" was a large rough quartz stone that had been ground and polished as smooth as glass on one of its upper surfaces. Staring into the dark depths of the crystal was supposed to reveal images of both the past and future. Cleopatra is said to have first seen the face of Mark Anthony in this stone.
The Eye was considered ancient even in the time of Cleopatra--a relic from a period long before written history.
It had somehow come into the possession of the Knights Templars during the mid-13th Century, C.E. at a time when the order was on it's ascendancy and extremely wealthy, collecting objects of power and art from all over the East.
The Templars had the more than 25 pound stone carved into a perfect sphere and polished. The crystal ball that was created was flawless and fantastically clear.
Current Location
Sphere of Destiny, 1963
The Sphere of Destiny was captured from the Templars by the Mamluks in 1302, at a battle on the island of Arwad. It was soon after purchased by a rich occultist in Egypt, and has been held in various known but private hands since that time.
Passed from seer to seer over hundreds of years, it has been used to record some of the most accurate prophecies ever documented.
The theft of the Sphere in Egypt, and it's quick recovery by private French detectives and the British Colonial constabulary in 1885 is a famous story of both criminals using advanced technological methods, and of the new "scientific" detective work, and was an influence on the writings of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes.
The Sphere is currently in a private collection in Istanbul, in a residence near Gülhane Park, and in 2001 it was the subject of a BBC documentary,
Cleopatra and the Stone of Destiny. The best source of information on this subject is the more than 600 page Cleopatra's Eye--the True Stone of Power by famous crypto-archaeologist Dr. Benjamin Zine.
Passed from seer to seer over hundreds of years, it has been used to record some of the most accurate prophecies ever documented.
The theft of the Sphere in Egypt, and it's quick recovery by private French detectives and the British Colonial constabulary in 1885 is a famous story of both criminals using advanced technological methods, and of the new "scientific" detective work, and was an influence on the writings of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes.
The Sphere is currently in a private collection in Istanbul, in a residence near Gülhane Park, and in 2001 it was the subject of a BBC documentary,
Cleopatra and the Stone of Destiny. The best source of information on this subject is the more than 600 page Cleopatra's Eye--the True Stone of Power by famous crypto-archaeologist Dr. Benjamin Zine.
Provenance and Authenticity
Sphere of Destiny, 2008
The provenance and authenticity of the Sphere have been confirmed over the years many times by established auction and insurance houses in Europe and the United States.
Further Resources:
Carrell, Harrison. "The Flawless Prophet," Journal of Occult History, Vol 3, Issue 7. 1986.
Hays, Henry, and Justin Evers. The Histories of the Knights Templars. 1947, Carrington Publishing, London.
Lamback, Martin. Seeing Stones, Scrying, and the History of the Crystal Ball. 2001, Dover Books, Mineola, New York.
Lort, Dr. Mehda. The Conlin Collection. 2007, Istanbul, private publication (catalogue).
Pahara, Christina. Cleopatra's Magic. 1993, Pahrump New Age Press, Henderson, Nevada.
Zine, Benjamin. Cleopatra's Eye--the True Stone of Power. 1975, Cornell University Press, Ithaca, New York.
Further Resources:
Carrell, Harrison. "The Flawless Prophet," Journal of Occult History, Vol 3, Issue 7. 1986.
Hays, Henry, and Justin Evers. The Histories of the Knights Templars. 1947, Carrington Publishing, London.
Lamback, Martin. Seeing Stones, Scrying, and the History of the Crystal Ball. 2001, Dover Books, Mineola, New York.
Lort, Dr. Mehda. The Conlin Collection. 2007, Istanbul, private publication (catalogue).
Pahara, Christina. Cleopatra's Magic. 1993, Pahrump New Age Press, Henderson, Nevada.
Zine, Benjamin. Cleopatra's Eye--the True Stone of Power. 1975, Cornell University Press, Ithaca, New York.