Jewellery of the Indian Subcontinent: A Significant Cultural Element

Abstract

Jewellery of the Indian Subcontinent is one the major components of its material culture. The research aims at exploring and aesthetically appreciating the diverse range of Indian jewellery which developed without any discrimination of age, race, gender, or ethnicity. Limited data is available on Indian art of jewellery making with regards to its types, designs, and symbolism. However, this research focuses on Indian jewellery’s unique features in which some extinct techniques due to emerging technological advancements are also highlighted. The study focuses on traditional jewellery of the Mughals, Rajput, Sikhs, and aristocracy of the Colonial Period that carried cultural and religious significance. The jewellery piece was either to display riches or it symbolized the wearer’s personal ideology. This qualitative research traces historical evidences of trade, gift exchanges, and sources of inspirations. Findings revealed through miniatures, photographs, and historical records show that these jewellery pieces varied from exuberant diamonds and rubies to cowrie shells and glass enamel fillings that were mostly elements of vanity, flamboyance, and ostentation.