[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Reference works](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference) › [An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.ghosh-1989) › v1.c15.s2 # An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c15.s2: 10.2 Gems, Inlays and Intaglios An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c15.s2 - **Language:** English ### 10.2 Gems, Inlays and Intaglios ### [v1.c15.s2.1](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.ghosh-1989.v1.c15.s2.1) Gems consist of precious and semiprecious stones sometimes inlaid in ornaments such as necklaces, pendants, bracelets and finger rings. Gem stones carved in the negative are also found as separate pieces; those found in Bhir Mound, Taxila (Young, 1946), are thought to be of Iono-Greek in origin. These are more in the nature of seals \[3.2\] than of personal ornaments. ### [v1.c15.s2.2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.ghosh-1989.v1.c15.s2.2) When inlaid, the pieces are cut to shape and cemented in cells formed by strips of metal soldered to a background. The surface of the inlay is generally cut flush with the top edge of the cell; sometimes when the cells are not contiguous the inlay is cut \*en cabochon\* to rise above the cell, the latter turned inwards at the top to hold the inlay securely. This method is frequently adopted in ring bezels. ### [v1.c15.s2.3](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.ghosh-1989.v1.c15.s2.3) Inlaying of gems has a long history in Mesopotamia as in the Royal Graves in Ur, Egypt, Syria, Aegean Sea region, etc. In historical times inlay was regularly practised in Greek jewellery from about the 3rd century B.C. after Alexander's conquest brought to Greece fashions and luxuries from abroad. In Roman jewellery gem stones and glass of different shapes set in small clusters were extremely popular. ### [v1.c15.s2.4](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.ghosh-1989.v1.c15.s2.4) In India the use of semiprecious stones for the manufacture of beads and pendants \[10.1\] was known from early times. But the art of gem setting in jewellery is seen for the first time in Sirkap, Taxila, datable to the 1st century A.D. In necklaces, bracelets and finger rings gem stones of bright colours were inlaid by cementing with lac, amber and paste. In necklaces with pendants white felspar, lapis lazuli, rock crystal, turquoise, etc., surrounded by gold granules are inlaid. Some of them are also inlaid \*en cabochon\* either with garnet or blue turquoise. Bracelets of gold consist of openwork type with square ‘gate’ clasps encrusted with gems such as white orthoclase felspar and circular settings with amber. Marshall traces its origin to the 5th-4th century B.C and to the Scytho-Greek people. ### [v1.c15.s2.5](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.ghosh-1989.v1.c15.s2.5) Finger rings of gold from Sirkap are also inlaid with gems. The rings have hoops with flat raised bezels and are inlaid with gems or semiprecious stones and paste cemented with adhesive material. The gems include crystal, garnet, malachite, orthoclase felspar, etc. ### [v1.c15.s2.6](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.ghosh-1989.v1.c15.s2.6) Intaglios have designs cut or engraved in a hard stone or metal, depicting scenes, portraits, busts, animals, zodiacal signs, planetary objects and other terrestrial designs. The early ones at Sirkap belong to the Parthian period and the rest are datable to the 4th-5th century. They are cut \*en cabochon\* in stones such as malachite, jacinth, carnelian and chert as well as in glass. The engravings mostly depict Graeco-Roman divine figures such as Winged Nike and Athen; others have various figures and busts. One of them, of chert, is engraved with the legend \*Śrī-Kuleśvaradāsa\* in Brāhmī of the 5th century. ### [v1.c15.s2.7](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.ghosh-1989.v1.c15.s2.7) A cameo from Karwan (Mehta, 1952) prepared in transparent chalcedony has a semirectangular shape and rounded sides. It is engraved with the bust of a lady with flocks of hair falling on the back. The features indicate its Roman origin; it is datable to the 1st century A.D. At Ellora clearance of the caves has revealed an oval of ring stone with the intaglio of Capricorns, a zodiacal sign along with objects datable to the 3rd-4th century. ### [v1.c15.s2.8](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.ghosh-1989.v1.c15.s2.8) The Indus people extensively decorated their objects with inlay of ivory, shell and faïence, but such objects were perhaps mainly restricted to furniture and the like (Marshall, 1931; Mackay, 1938). It is not unlikely that they inlaid ornaments as well with shell and faïence in a limited way (Vats, 1940). Later, except at Taxila, where there are various inlaid ornaments, inlay with semiprecious stones of varied colours seems to have been confined to finger rings, which had, for holding the inlaid piece, hoops within and were convex outside expanding outwards to flat raised bezel made for this purpose. While some of them were carved with human and animal figurines, the popular form seems to have an inlay of semiprecious stones cemented with lac or paste. ### [v1.c15.s2.9](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.ghosh-1989.v1.c15.s2.9) Finger rings of gold have been reported from Taxila only; they are often inset with crystal, garnet, malachite, etc., and in addition have filigree and granular beading work. They belong to the Graeco-Roman series. Some of the finest rings datable to c. 100 B.C. to A.D. 100 are known from the site. Some have broad bezels inset with glass and paste and others have motifs such as the \*svastika\*, winged Pegasus and other intaglios with Hellenistic and Graeco-Roman motifs engraved on metal bezels. ### [v1.c15.s2.10](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.ghosh-1989.v1.c15.s2.10) Finger rings of copper and soapstone of the 3rd-2nd century B.C are known from BESNAGAR, ERAN, MAHESWAR, NAGDA, NEVASA, PRAKASH, SAMBHAR, TRIPURĪ, etc. They are simple but with shallow depressions for inlay. A soapstone one from TRIPURĪ has the figure of mother goddess and Garuḍa holding serpents in the hoop. Another from BESNAGAR has symbols of \*nandipada\* and \*svastika\* inscribed below in Brāhmī of the 1st century B.C. A signet ring of thin circular gold sheet is known from ERAN. HASTINĀPURA and RAJGHAT have also yielded finger rings with broad bezels datable from c. 1st century B.C. to 2nd century A.D. BHOKARDAN, MAHESHWAR and RANG MAHAL have yielded copper finger rings with a flat top or broad bezel for inlay in levels of the 2nd and 3rd centuries. At SAMBHAR a ring has its bezel forming a parallelogram. Another one comes from TRIPURĪ. Clearance of the Ellora caves has revealed an inscribed copper signet ring datable to c. 300-400. Another is an oval ring stone with the engraving of a crab, a zodiacal sign. A copper finger ring from BHITA datable to the 7th century has a raised bezel. A specimen from NAGARA of the 9th century has a flattened bezel with an incised design. ### [v1.c15.s2.11](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.ghosh-1989.v1.c15.s2.11) Late historical bronze sculptures were often inlaid with semiprecious stones, variously in the eyes and on the haloes and pedestals. At RATNAGIRI, for example, were found such Buddhist inlaid bronzes. ### [v1.c15.s2.12](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.ghosh-1989.v1.c15.s2.12) Cyril, A., 1971, \*Jewel of the Pharaohs\*, London, pp. 33-5. Higgins, R.A., 1961, \*Greek & Roman Jewellery\*, London, pp. 28-30. Mackay, E.J.H., 1938, \*Further Excavations at Mohenjo-daro\*, Delhi, 1, p. 584. Marshall, J., 1931, \*Mohenjo-daro & the Indus Civilization\*, London, 2, pp. 565 etc.; 1951, \*Taxila\*, Cambridge, 1, pp. 160, 180, 220, 385; 2, pp. 621, 634, 635, 638-9, 642-3, 648, 650. Mehta, R.N.. 1952. in \*Jour. M.S. Univ. Baroda\*, 1, 2, pp. 133-5. Vats, M.S., 1940, \*Excavations at Harappa\*, Delhi, 1, p. 462. Wallis Budge, E.A., 1961, \*Amulets & Talismans\*, New York, p. 390. Young, G.M., 1946, in \*AI\*, 1, pp. 27-36. For other sites see respective entries in vol. II.—. MARGABANDHU ## Linked texts (11) - [Hastināpura](https://indike.org/pramana/inp.site.hastinapura) - [Nevasa](https://indike.org/pramana/inp.site.nevasa) - [Maheswar](https://indike.org/pramana/inp.site.maheswar) - [Prakash](https://indike.org/pramana/inp.site.prakash) - [Nagda](https://indike.org/pramana/inp.site.nagda) - [Karvan](https://indike.org/pramana/inp.site.karwan) - [Bhokardan](https://indike.org/pramana/inp.site.bhokardan) - [Bhir Mound](https://indike.org/pramana/inp.site.bhir-mound) - [Bhita](https://indike.org/pramana/inp.site.bhita) - [Sirkap](https://indike.org/pramana/inp.site.sirkap) - [Sambhar](https://indike.org/pramana/inp.site.sambhar) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.ghosh-1989.v1.c15.s2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.ghosh-1989.v1.c15.s2) · Pramāṇa