3-090-426 - Ware in the World/Heritage Images

Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom - replicas of the orb, ampulla and anointing spoon, c1953. Display at St James's Palace coronation exhibition in London. The Sovereign's Orb is a hollow gold sphere surmounted by a cross. The orb has been a Christian symbol of authority since the Middle Ages. The ampulla, shaped like an eagle, holds the consecrated oil with which the monarch is anointed. The head of the eagle is removable, and there is an opening in the beak for pouring the oil. The orb and ampulla were made for the coronation of King Charles II in 1661. The spoon is the only item to survive Oliver Cromwell's destruction of the sacred symbols of monarchy after the English Civil War. It dates back to the early 12th century. These items were used during the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II on 2 June 1953.