History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c34.s1.18

v1.c34.s1.18

The huge quantity of Roman gold was coming to India every year as a result of the brisk trade. The art of jewellery and work in precious stones were attaining unprecedented heights. However, the scant archaeological material is hardly adequate to form an idea of the alien forms or techniques, if any, introduced in Indian jewellery due to the cultural contact with west and central Asian world. Some of the jewellery pieces from central India, presently kept in the National Museum, New Delhi, are akin to the jewellery found from Himachal Pradesh and Punjab. Thus, the north-western regions seem to have preserved the ancient modes and traditions for the last two thousand years. However, the Buddhist motifs, floral designs and animal and bird forms in these ornaments might suggest the Indian influence which might have travelled along with the migration of Buddhism to central Asian regions. The forms like, belt buckles, amulets and medallions are definitely of central Asian origin and the lavish use of semi-precious stones, like ruby, turquoise, coral and lapis lazuli bespeak of the characteristic quality of that region.