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- Chair
- throne of King Dagobert
Throne
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What is a throne in furniture?
A throne is a chair of state, often on a dais and under a canopy, representing the power of the dignitary who sits on it and sometimes conferring that power. Thrones have become symbolically identified with the status of their occupiers, so much so that in monarchies, the office of the ruler is often referred to as The Throne.
From the beginning of Greek history, thrones were identified as seats of the gods and later as symbolic seats of those who held secular or religious power, a meaning common to virtually all cultures. The oldest surviving throne was built into the walls of Knossos (c. 1800 bc).
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Who usually sits on a throne?
A throne is the chair of state for a sovereign or high dignitary and represents the power of the person who sits on it. Thrones are often set on a dais and surmounted by a canopy. Historically, those who sit on thrones include:
* Gods
* Secular rulers
* Religious leaders, such as bishops and cardinals
* Kings and queens
* Emperors and empresses
* Princes and princesses3 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
What makes a throne different from a regular chair?
Thrones are distinguished from regular chairs primarily by their representation of power and status. Often set on a dais and surmounted by a canopy, a throne symbolizes the authority of the dignitary who occupies it.
Historically, thrones have been associated with gods and those holding secular or religious power, showcasing symbolic magnificence through rich materials and elaborate designs. Examples include Solomon's throne, made of ivory and gold with lion figures, and the Peacock Throne of Delhi rulers, adorned with jewels and silver steps. The oldest surviving throne dates back to Knossos (c. 1800 bc), while Europe saw increased throne production with the rise of Christianity, integrating them into coronation rites and granting them to ecclesiastical figures.
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What materials are thrones commonly made from?
Thrones are commonly made from a variety of materials, often reflecting the power and status of the person occupying them.
Materials used in the construction of thrones include:
* Ivory and pure gold, as seen in Solomon's throne
* Gold, ivory, lapis lazuli, and carnelian, as found in a fragment from the throne of Sargon II of Assyria
* Oak and ivory, like the throne of St. Peter
* Bronze, such as the folding stool of King Dagobert
* Silver, which was used frequently in the late 17th and 18th centuries
* Gilded wood2 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
How have thrones changed in design over time?
Thrones have evolved significantly in design over time, reflecting shifts in cultural values, materials, and technologies. Ancient thrones, such as Solomon's throne, were symbols of magnificence, often adorned with ivory, gold, and precious stones. The throne of the Byzantine emperors even featured mechanical lions, showcasing advanced craftsmanship for the era.
In Europe, the emergence of Christianity influenced throne design, with early examples incorporated into church stonework. Over time, materials like silver and gilded wood became popular. Egyptian pharaohs used beds, stools, and throne chairs, with throne chairs reserved for important figures. The evolution of the throne mirrors changing artistic styles and the enduring human desire to symbolize power and authority.
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Why are thrones important symbols in different cultures?
Thrones are important symbols in various cultures because they represent the power of the dignitary who sits on them, sometimes even conferring that power. Thrones have been identified as seats of gods since the beginning of Greek history. Later, the meaning of the word came to include the symbolic seats of those who held secular or religious power, a meaning common to virtually all cultures. In monarchies, the office of the ruler is often referred to as The Throne. The oldest surviving throne was built into the walls of Knossos (c. 1800 bc).
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Throne, chair of state often set on a dais and surmounted by a canopy, representing the power of the dignitary who sits on it and sometimes conferring that power. The extent to which seats of this kind have become symbolically identified with the status of their occupiers is suggested by the fact that in monarchies the office of the ruler is often referred to as The Throne and that at Papal conclaves, when an election has been made, the canopies are lowered from the thrones of all participating cardinals except the successful one.
From the very beginning of Greek history, thrones were identified as seats of the gods. Soon the meaning of the word included the symbolic seats of those who held secular or religious power—a meaning common to virtually all cultures, ranging from Benin to the empires of South America. In the ancient world, especially in the East, thrones almost invariably had symbolic magnificence. Solomon’s throne, for instance, is thus described in II Chron. 9:
The king also made a great ivory throne, and overlaid it with pure gold. The throne had six steps and a footstool of gold, and on each side of the seats were arm rests and two lions standing beside the arm rests, while twelve lions stood there, one on each end of a step on the six steps. The like of it was never made in any kingdom.
The throne of the Byzantine emperors was modelled on Solomon’s, with the added refinement that the lions were mechanical. In the British Museum there is a fragment encrusted with gold, ivory, lapis lazuli, and carnelian believed to have come from the throne of Sargon II of Assyria (died 705 bc).
The oldest surviving throne is one that was built into the walls of Knossos (c. 1800 bc), and probably the most splendid of thrones was the Peacock throne of the rulers of Delhi, set with jewels and raised on a dais with silver steps. The appearance of Christianity stimulated the production of thrones in Europe, for not only were they seen as part of the process of endowing kingship with a magical aura through the use of elaborate coronation rites but also many ecclesiastical dignitaries—cardinals, bishops, and mitred abbots—had a right to a throne. Some of the early thrones were incorporated into the stonework of the church, as at Torcello outside Venice; but the oldest, that of St. Peter, which became a symbol of the papacy and which dates from the 4th century ad, is built of oak and ivory and has iron carrying rings (it is now incorporated in a massive structure designed by the architect and sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini in the 17th century). The magnificent ivory throne of Archbishop Maximian (ad 546–556), at Ravenna, is covered with elaborate bas-relief carvings and reflects the structure of late-Roman furniture. The so-called throne of King Dagobert, in the treasury of Saint-Denis in Paris, is a folding stool of bronze, probably of the 8th century but with 12th-century additions made by the churchman and statesman Abbot Suger. The design of the Coronation Chair in Westminster Abbey has been attributed to Adam, the goldsmith of Edward I; it seems that the original intention was to cast the chair in bronze, but an oak version was made instead, apparently without any alteration to a design intended for execution in metal. In the late 17th and 18th centuries, thrones were frequently made of silver, but later versions tended to be of gilded wood.