Indian Golden-Bead Multi-Strand Necklace

Description

Our striking necklace is adapted from an Indian original from the eighteenth–nineteenth century in the Museum's collection featuring five graduated strings of close-strung, multi-faceted gold beads.

22K gold overlay. Matte finish. Hook and eye closure. 17 1/4''L.

Art History

The tradition of Indian jewelry making is characterized by a vast and complex heritage spanning at least five thousand years, and embodies a rich cultural significance far beyond the intrinsic value of the precious materials. Early Sanskrit texts emphasize the symbolic meanings attributed to gems and metals. Gold, first among precious things and associated with the sun, symbolizes the Hindu goddess of good fortune, Lakshmi.