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History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c34.s2: Jewellery of the Gupta period

History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c34.s2

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English

Jewellery of the Gupta period

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With the emergence of the mighty Gupta emperors on the scene, the political condition of the country attained solidarity and stability for a considerable period. Science and technology made rapid strides, resulting in an overall enrichment of people’s lives. The stable political conditions and the material progress raised the living standards of the people in general and the nobility in particular. It aroused aesthetic impulse of the people who craved for the finer aspects of life and thereby set norms for beauty. The various treatises on the numerous arts and crafts were composed giving technical expertise and their characteristic features. It was an era of artistic effulgence and perfection.

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Accordingly, the art of gems and jewellery reached the culminating points during the Gupta-age. The earlier ornaments were continued and modified and so also many fresh forms were introduced to suit the new social traits and traditions. The use of precious stones with splendorous shades on the glittering surface of the gold became the characteristic feature of the Gupta jewellery. It necessitated the *Ratnaparīkṣā* or the examination of jewels, which was included among the sixty-four subsidiary branches of knowledge in Vatsyayana’s *Kāmasūtra*. The Buddhist chronicle, *Divyāvadāna*, prescribes this science as a part of training to the sons of trading merchants (*Divya*, p. 26, 99-100). Another important work, *Bṛhat-Saṃhitā* of Varāhamihira, gives a vivid account of different gems, their provence, colours and other characteristic features (Kern, 1865). The numerous literary sources provide countless references to the use of gems for various purposes, such as their appliance in jewellery, costumes, furniture, seals and other objects of household. The gems were encrusted as well as inlaid on the objects of exceeding beauty. The art of cutting and polishing the precious stones was pursued with great vigour and industry.

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Jewellery seems to have been in great demand during the Gupta period. The ornaments were worn all over the body. The *Amarakośa* gives a long list of the names of ornaments for the head, forehead, the ears, the neck, the arms, fingers, waist and feet.

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*Head Ornaments*: During the Gupta age, the Kirita was a well known head ornament for the kings (Kālidāsa, *Raghu*, VI). The gems, *cūḍāmaṇi* and *makarika* (crocodile shaped jewel) were commonly worn by the ladies on the parting of the hair, the former at the back end and the latter on top of the head (Sivaramamurti, 1956). The ornament, *cūḍāmaṇi* was shaped like a full-blown lotus with petals, all composed of pearls and precious stones. The ornaments, like the *ratnajāla* (jewel festoons) and *muktajāla* (pearl festoons) woven in the hair of the ladies, are mentioned by Kālidāsa (*Raghu*, IX). This type of ornaments are noticed in the wall paintings of Ajanta and Bagh.

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*Ear ornaments*: The ear-rings or *kuṇḍalas* were of many shapes. The *makara kuṇḍala*, showing the fantastic animal with curled snout, was very popular during the Gupta age. The *manikuṇḍalas* or the ear-rings fitted with jewels were greatly admired (Kālidāsa, Rtu, II, 19). The festooning of hair with hanging pearl strings is not noticed before the Gupta-age. Hence, it must be a novelty of this period. The ear-rings shaped as leaf (patra-kuṇḍalas) seem to have been greatly in fashion. The leaf- shaped kuṇḍalas of gold (kanakapatra) are also described in literature (Sivaramamurti, 1956).

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Necklaces : The most common necklace of the Gupta period, as seen in the sculptures, was the ‘ekāvali’ which consisted of a single string of pearls, variegated by a large sapphire in the centre. Kālidāsa has noted the beauty of this ornament when he says, “Remarkable is the beauty of the pearl itself, nothing to say when combined with the radiant sapphire” (Raghu, XVI). Varāhamihira mentions a large variety of necklaces, wherein they were named after the varying number of strings. For instance, the Induchandā (1008), Vijayachandā (504), Devachandā (81), Rasmikalapa (54), Gucha (32) and the like comprised of multiple strings (Bṛh; S. LXXX). Nakṣtramālā was a necklace having seven pearls in one string.

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Girdles: The girdles were mostly made of gold. The name hema for the girdle might suggest its material as well. Hemasūtra was probably a chain of gold with precious stones in the centre. The other types of girdles, i.e, the mekhalā, kāñci, kinkiṇī and rasanā have already been referred to above. In fact, the ‘rasanā’ with a melodious sound of chains and the kinkiṇī with a jingling sound of small bells had attained greater popularity in Gupta period (Kālidāsa, Megh. XIII).

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Bracelets & Armlets: The various names such as the valaya, aṅgada and keyūra were common for the bracelets and armlets during Gupta-age. The bracelets and armlets were made of gold and encrusted with precious stones. The Keyūras were shaped as animal’s heads. If it was without tassels, it was known as Aṅgada.

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Anklets : The term nupūra and maninupūra are found mentioned in the literature of the Gupta period (Kālidāsa, Raghu, XVI). The maninupūra must be studded with gems. Bāṇabhaṭṭa mentions the word, “Tulakoṭi” which means the anklets with two ends, each bearing a slight cubical enlargement as noticed at the ends of a balance beam (Sivaramamurti, 1956).

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Finger Ring : The finger-ring or aṅguliyaka seems to have become popular during the Gupta-age. The finger-rings with a jewelled top manibandhana has been mentioned by the poet, Kālidāsa (Sakuntalam, VI).

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The Gupta-age witnessed perfection in every field of Indian art. The high ideals and standard set by the artisans of the Gupta era invariably inspired the artists of the subsequent centuries to follow the same age-old forms, motifs and designs in their art and crafts. The cycle of progress had reached the highest point and it was now moving in the reverse direction. The most articulate sparingly used jewellery of the Gupta era, as seen through the wall-paintings and sculptures, is put to exotic use in sculptures of the subsequent periods. No doubt, some of the names and forms of the ancient jewellery are continued in literature and art of early medieval period of Indian history. For example, the terms, cūḍāmani, makara-kuṇḍalas, nūpūra, mekhalā and ekāvali, etc. were commonly used during the period of Harsa Vardhana. Some new names of ornaments also occur in literature.

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During the 9th and 10th centuries, A.D., there does not seem to have occurred much change in ancient forms of Indian jewellery. The ornaments were in great demand. Abu Zaid, who came to India during the period under consideration, remarked that the kings and nobles wore costly ornaments which were made of gold and studded with rubies, emeralds and pearls (Abu Zaid, p.14).

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The kings preferred gems mostly of red and yellow colours (Kazim, VIII). Pearls were profusely used as festoons in jewellery. The kings maintained a band of artists and skilled craftsmen in the court. Rajasekhara, a poet of the Gurjara-Pratiharas mentions the presence of the jewellers, gem-setters, and goldsmiths amongst artisans seated at western end of the royal court (Kazim, X). Amongst the favourite ornaments of the ladies, the *Cūḍāratna* or *Śikhāmani* was put on the hair; *Niṣka* was a necklace made of coins or the big golden beads; *Manilatā* was a golden chain studded with gems; *kuṇḍalas* were the ear-ornaments; *kaṭisūtra* was a golden chain for the waist and the ‘*Nūpura*’ or ‘*Manjirā*’ were the anklets (Kazim, V.). Some new names to be met in the literature of this period are the *Dalāvitaka* and *Sīsapatraka*. These are mentioned as ear-rings, which must have been shaped like lotus petals and leaves (Damodara gupta, 1924, p. 65). The *Valayakalapi* were the bracelets shaped as peacock (Damodara gupta, p. 345). The *Tittibhika* was a neck ornament worn by the ladies of the period (Damodara gupta, p. 739).

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The early Muslim invaders from the Arab (Bagdad) did not leave any abiding impact on Indian culture. The Muslim rulers in India, prior to the Mughals, were constantly engaged in warfare to establish their political suzerainty. The historians too were obsessed with the political situations and left little record of arts and crafts. The extant specimens are not of much artistic significance. The Mughals, had a great regard for the Persian cultural norms and their interest heralded a new era and opened wider horizons for the Indian craftsmen. The Indian artisanship, which was passing through the stage of depression and stagnation, received a new lease of life. It acted with fresh vigour and enthusiasm to develop new techniques and perfection and thereafter produced masterpieces in fields of Indian art and crafts. Although, no significant new forms seem to have been introduced in Indian jewellery yet, the craftsmanship had considerably improved. The sophisticated taste and the magnificence shown by the Mughal emperors to Indian artisanship, gave an unprecedented impetus to the art of Indian jewellery. The talented artists of India used their indigenous skill and artistry to fashion the most beautiful ornaments. This happy blending of the alien taste and Indian workmanship provided a new look and extraordinary charm to the crafts of Indian jewellery.

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