Jewelled Arts of India in the Age of the Mughals

The Al-Sabah Collection

18 May - 2 September 2001

www.british-museum.ac.uk

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Fig.: The 'Talisman of the Throne', spinel ruby ( 249.31 carats ) with undated and dated inscriptions of Mughal, Timurid, Afghan and Safavid rulers. Length 4.79cm, width 3.64cm. © Bruce M. White

A spectacular exhibition of jewellery from the time of the Mughal emperors of India will open at the British Museum in May. This exhibition will include some 300 pieces from the extraordinary collections of Sheikh Nasser Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah of Kuwait, most of which date from the reigns of the Great Mughals who ruled India from the mid - 16th to the early 18th century. In addition to extravagant jewellery, such as earrings, pendants, finger-rings and bracelets, the exhibition will feature daggers with jewel-encrusted scabbards and hilts and jewelled boxes, cups and gaming pieces. The famous Ruby Dagger, its gold scabbard and hilt studded with rubies, will be shown along with many ravishing, but less well-known jewelled items.