Cleveland Museum of Art

Pendant

Date

1700s

Medium

Gold, emerald, diamonds, enamel, and pearl

Culture

Northwestern India, Rajasthan, Rajput Kingdom of Jaipur

Department

Indian and Southeast Asian Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

The large green emerald on one side of this pendant was probably imported to India from Columbia. Delicately incised with a lotus blossom, a symbol of the sun, it is surrounded by inset diamonds in organic, petal-like shapes. Emeralds, especially prized for their green color, were associated with the planet Mercury in Hindu astrology and with the power to ward off evil in Islam. On the reverse, a peacock and two peahens surrounded by flowers are rendered using blue, green, and red glass. The bright color of the emerald indicates it was sourced in South America.

The authoritative record is held by Cleveland Museum of Art. LinkedCulture surfaces this object and its connections; it does not alter institutional metadata.