Throughout the ages, ornaments have been worn in India not only as a means of adornment, but for cer tain religious and superstitious reasons also. It cannot be denied that the goldsmith's and jeweller's art in this country is of the highest antiquity. The forms of Indian jewellery as well as its decorative designs and techni ques have come down to us in an unbroken tradition from the most ancient times, The famous sculptures of Bharhut, Sanchi, and Amaravati, the frescoes of the Ajanta caves, the more recent sculptural art of Orissa and elsewhere, prove without doubt that in its forms aso Indian jewellery has remained unaltered during the last many centuries.
The history of Indian jewellery provides very fasci nating material for study, and this is the only book dealing with this subject in a way to entrance and interest every type of reader. The author traces her subject from age to age the jewellery of ancient India, of Muslim times, and the modern trends. She has also dealt with enamelling, the craft of the goldsmith -the inherited craft of his ancestors. There is a very important section on hints for the collector and buyer of antiques. The Appendix contains lists and names of ornaments used in ancient India and in modern times.
Naturally, a book of this quality needs to be illus trated lavishly. This has been done irrespective of cost. The thick white paper and the bold lay-out of the text are well matched by the many beautifully printed plates of illustrations on imported art paper.
"In nothing indeed do the people of India display their naturally gorgeous and costly taste so much as in their jewellery and jewelled arms which are not only fabricated of the richest and rarest materials, but wrought likewise with all elaborateness, delicacy and splendour of design within the reach of art," wrote Birdwood in the last century. Even a casual glance through the pages of this beautiful volume will prove this to be true. Very aptly has the love of the ancient Indian for sumptuous ornaments been contrasted with the general simplicity of his life.
Although primarily produced for the general reader, this book will also be of great value to jewellers, students of art and those interested in the creation of new designs, because of the large number of illus- trations included ancient sculpture, the ornaments of the time of the Moghuls, masterpieces from the North and the South, examples of peasant and tribal jewellery as worn today. Here are literally hundreds of designs, ancient and modern, to suit the tastes of all and provide the designer of jewellery with a rich source of ideas.
INDIAN JEWELLERY provides a fascinating subject for study. Its origins is buried in antiquity. No matter how far back we go, archaeological finds reveal a wealth of ornaments discovered individually or on figurines and statues. The similarity of their shapes with the ones made even today provides a glimpse of an unbroken tradition which has linked Indian civilization through all stages of its development.
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