gems, jade, Mughal jade carving nephrite, China, beryl, emerald, spinel, ruby, gold jewelry, Indian lapidary

Throughout its history, India has produced countless types of jewelry as a huge country with an almost unmanageable number of peoples and tribes. The precious ones were not only intended to decorate or provide information about the social rank of the wearer, they also served as magical protection and were indispensable in some religious ceremonies. Many pieces of jewelry also had a symbolic meaning and can be associated with ancient Indian myths due to their materiality. The publication ranges from magnificent pieces from princely treasuries to precious jade objects to the highly elaborately decorated jewelry of the Rabari people with gold granules.