Part 591: The Sixteenth Degree Setting for King Darius’ Palace
In 1908, Thomas G. Moses wrote, “Starting on Wheeling, W. Va. Masonic work, a good contract and I enjoyed the work. The Darius Palace and the approach to Jerusalem were very interesting things to do, and a dozen others with the same amount of interest for others to do.” Instead of starting with the venue, I am beginning with the Sosman & Landis scenic design called “Darius Palace.”
For the Scottish Rite’s sixteenth degree production, it is important to consider the historical context and inspiration for the stage work. The exiled Hebrews returned to Jerusalem in approximately 530 BCE, yet they had to wait for Darius’ ascension to the throne for the rebuilding of King Solomon’s Temple. The Second Temple was completed about 510 BCE. There is much more to the story, but this provides us with the basic context that inspired three Sosman & Landis scene designs: King Solomon’s Temple ruins, King Darius’ palace, and the rebuilding of the Temple. I have recently posted a series of images regarding stage settings that depict the ruins of King Solomon’s Temple from the 15th degree. This degree includes the story of when King Cyrus reigned and Zerubbabel was sent to check on the site. The 15th degree stage setting carries over the 16th degree and was often used again. Understand, however, that what appears on Scottish Rite stages now does not always use the scenery as intended.
Two of the sixteenth degree settings were noted in the “Buffalo Consistory” during 1908. An article describing the upcoming events at a Scottish Rite Reunion reported, “On Tuesday morning there is no class, but in the afternoon the sixteenth degree, prince of Jerusalem, will be presented in three sections. The first and third represent the ruins of the Holy City and the second the court of Darius, King of Persia” (Buffalo Morning Express, 21 April 1908, page 6).
That same year, the “Brooklyn Daily Eagle” also mentioned the 16th degree production at the Scottish Rite: “The sixteenth degree, Princes of Jerusalem, was the work in Brooklyn Consistory on Wednesday evening last.” After listing the cast members, the newspaper commented, “This beautiful, instructive, historic degree is one of the most interesting in the entire Scottish Rite system.” (5 April 1908, page 25).
For those unfamiliar with King Darius I, here is a brief recap. Darius the Great was born in 522 BCE. He is recorded as being one of the greatest rulers of the Achaemenid dynasty, ascending to power in 522 BCE and reigning until 486 BCE. Darius was known for his administrative genius and monumental construction projects, including his palace in Susa located at the center of the Persian Empire. Stretching from the Nile and the Aegean to the Indus Valley, at its peak, the Persian Empire included much of West Asia, the Caucasus, parts of the Balkans (Thrace-Macedonia and Paeonia), most of the Black Sea coastal regions, parts of North Caucasus, and Central Asia. It reached as far east as the Indus Valley with portions of north and northeast Africa including Egypt, eastern Libya and coastal Sudan. A great book on this subject is Jean Perrot’s “The Palace of Darius at Susa: The Great Royal Residence of Achaemenid Persia.”
King Darius was known for centralizing and unifying the Persian empire, He divided land under his reign into provinces, placing satraps to govern it. Darius established a new uniform monetary system, introduced standard weights and measures, as well as making Aramaic the official language of the empire. He also instigated several construction projects throughout the empire, including Susa, Pasargadae, Persepolis, and Babylon. This is the part that we are most interested in as nineteenth-century archeological discoveries would greatly impact popular culture and Masonic stage design.
It was the information and illustrations published about archeological discoveries that were incorporated into Masonic degree productions designs by Sosman & Landis and other scenic studios. King Darius’ Palace at Susa (western Iran) was one of the most important of the Achaemenid Persian palaces. When it was rediscovered in 1851, details of the architecture and ornamentation remained in the public eye and were eagerly sought after by all types of artists.
These discoveries especially fueled the designs of stage settings for the 16th degree. Scenic studios labels became more description over time, going from a simple “Darius Palace” to Darius Festival Rose Palace.”
Early twentieth century Sosman & Landis scenic designs were characterized by Persian columns and double-bull capitals, replicating discoveries in Persepolis and Susa. Floral garlands were draped throughout the scene, wrapping around orate columns. Skilled scenic artists at Sosman & Landis painted hundreds of roses in varying shades of pink, depicted from every conceivable angle. These floral garlands are some of the most beautiful examples of scenic art that I have encountered to date.
Artists in scenic studios relied on printed source material for these ancient palaces, such a Dr. Franz von Reber’s “The History of Ancient Art.” This publication provided beautiful examples of ancient architectural ornamentation for the sixteenth degree. Here is a link to Dr. Von Reber’s 1882 publication, as it is a wonderful addition to any library: imageshttps://www.gutenberg.org/files/42082/42082-h/42082-h.htm#page_025
To be continued…
