Adornment: Jewelry of South Asia’s Nomadic Cultures

Gallery 50

The wide range of vegetal, geometric, and animal motifs that tribal jewelers wrought into silver and gold reflects the diverse functions and varied origins of these artworks.

During the 19th and early 20th centuries, cattle-herding nomads from tribes as geographically and culturally diverse as the Ersari and Kuchi of Afghanistan, the Balti of Pakistan, and the Rabari and Ahir of India moved seasonally across Central and South Asia in search of fresh pastures. Although they carried few belongings, these travelers developed a material legacy of adornment practices embodied in the textiles and finely crafted jewelry they wore and bartered, practices that continued as they settled into modest villages over time.

Pair of Geometric Snake Earrings (Pambadam), early 20th century

Velallar; Tamil Nadu, India. Promised gift of Barbara and David Kipper.

These adornments were made by artists of tremendous skill using a range of traditional techniques still practiced today, including sandcasting, lost-wax casting, stamping, engraving, enamel inlay, and the careful twisting and sodering of wire. In their original contexts, such objects served as expressions of tribal affiliation, personal wealth, spiritual beliefs, and cultural heritage. They functioned as capital and currency for men as well as women, protected skin from sunburn and insect bites, and stimulated vital pressure points, or marma, to enhance fertility and relieve pain.

Pair of Temple Pendants (Muchley), late 19th/early 20th century

Katawaz Basin, Afghanistan. Promised gift of Barbara and David Kipper.

This focused exhibition, made up of promised works from the collection of Barbara and David Kipper, presents a sampling of these objects, from ornate headdresses to simple stud earrings, lending insight into their cultural legacy. In recent decades, loss of land due to population growth and industrialization has had significant impact on traditions of adornment. As rapid urbanization continues, preserving and understanding the diverse visual legacies of South Asia’s nomadic cultures remain urgent endeavors.

Exhibitions are free with museum admission.

Top Image: Bracelet (Tada) with Temple Tower (Shikara) Finial, early 20th century