History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c34.s1.19

v1.c34.s1.19

The jewellery found at Sirkap and Bhir, the two notable centres of the Taxila region, comprises of necklaces, pendants, earrings, bracelets, clasps, rings and hairpins, etc. The necklaces, made of many pieces strung together by thread or wire, can be attributed to Indo-Parthian and Kuṣāṇa period. The gold beads are usually hollow with small holes to be filled in with lac. In one of the elaborately made necklaces, “the larger pieces are centered with oval medallions of crystal cut-en-cabochen in a beaded border enclosed by two fish, facing one another with minute circlets of inlaid white cells between their heads and tails” (Jamila B.B., p.48). This probably indicates the beginning of ‘Kundan’ work which later found much favour with the Mughals in India. The metals i.e. gold, silver and copper have been used to fashion the ancient forms of jewellery from Taxila. The falling down festoons from the necklaces and ear-pendants are made of thin entwined wire and are also sometimes studded with semi- precious stones, like the garnet, amethyst and corals. The various manufacturing techniques, like the filigree, repousse, moulding, heating, soldering and encrusting of stones are found employed in making the ornaments. The delicacy and boldness of design, accurate and precise modelling and the perfect finish of ornaments from the Taxila excavations would suggest that the art of jewellery had been fully evolved there.