14
Handicrafls - Conlinuity andchange . UNIT 23 IVORY, GEMS AND Structure Objectives Introduction Ivory 23.2.1 Variety of Articles 23.2.2 Ivory through the Ages Gems and Precious Stones Gold and Silver Works Ornaments and Jewellery 23.5. P Materials Used 23.5.2 Variety of Ornaments 23.5.3 Jewellely through the Ages 23.5.4 Main Centres of Production Other Crafts 23.6.1 Horn Work 23.6.2 Shell Work 23.6.3 Papier Mache Let Us Sum Up Key Words Answers to Check Your Progress Exercises This Unit will mainly ccver the craft of ivory, gems and ornament making. After going through this unit you will know about: ivory craft through the historical times the precious and semi precious stones gold and silver works different aspects of ornament making including the materials used, variety of objects and main centres of production some minor crafts like papier mache, horn and shell works etc. 23.1 INTRODUCTION In the earlier units of this Block we discussed a number of crafts in India. Here in this uni, we will focus on the crafts of ivory, gold and silver works, gems and jewellery or ornam:nl making in India. Ivory craft has been practised in India for thousands of years. However, in recent years the Government of India has put a complete ban on the practice of this craft as well as trade in ivory objects. Therefore, our main focus would be on the historical perspective of this cratt in India. Precious stones have always been considered a form of wealth and prosperity. In this Unit we will take not.; cti their availability and use in various types of objects and ornaments. Gems occupy an ;xportant place in Indian system of astrology. While discussing metal craft in Unit-22 we had kept gold and silver works out of our discussion. Now in this Unit we will briefly discuss gold and silver works before moving to jewelIery and ornaments. Gems and jewellery have a long history in Indian subcontinent The Stone Age excavations have yielded a number of items of jewelley mad:: of s:c>rir, - :erra-cota, bones, beads of various types and other such articles. The statues and figuri-:e\ Downloaded from http://SmartPrep.in

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Handicrafls - Conlinuity andchange . UNIT 23 IVORY, GEMS AND

Structure

Objectives Introduction Ivory 23.2.1 Variety of Articles 23.2.2 Ivory through the Ages Gems and Precious Stones Gold and Silver Works Ornaments and Jewellery 23.5. P Materials Used 23.5.2 Variety of Ornaments 23.5.3 Jewellely through the Ages 23.5.4 Main Centres of Production Other Crafts 23.6.1 Horn Work

23.6.2 Shell Work 23.6.3 Papier Mache Let Us Sum Up Key Words Answers to Check Your Progress Exercises

This Unit will mainly ccver the craft of ivory, gems and ornament making. After going through this unit you will know about:

ivory craft through the historical times

the precious and semi precious stones

gold and silver works

different aspects of ornament making including the materials used, variety of objects and main centres of production

some minor crafts like papier mache, horn and shell works etc.

23.1 INTRODUCTION

In the earlier units of this Block we discussed a number of crafts in India. Here in this uni, we will focus on the crafts of ivory, gold and silver works, gems and jewellery or ornam:nl making in India.

Ivory craft has been practised in India for thousands of years. However, in recent years the Government of India has put a complete ban on the practice of this craft as well as trade in ivory objects. Therefore, our main focus would be on the historical perspective of this cratt in India.

Precious stones have always been considered a form of wealth and prosperity. In this Unit we will take not.; cti their availability and use in various types of objects and ornaments. Gems occupy an ;xportant place in Indian system of astrology.

While discussing metal craft in Unit-22 we had kept gold and silver works out of our discussion. Now in this Unit we will briefly discuss gold and silver works before moving to jewelIery and ornaments. Gems and jewellery have a long history in Indian subcontinent The Stone Age excavations have yielded a number of items of jewelley mad:: of s:c>rir, - :erra-cota, bones, beads of various types and other such articles. The statues and figuri-:e\

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3.- . . * .

excavated from Harappan sites have yielded various types of jewellery. All the literary and fmy,G#BBIund ;

J-rp religious literature from earliest times attach importance to gold, silver and jewels. These ... . .

have, through historical times, been considered a form of wealth. Variow objects and jewellery made with these precious items find mention in texts as being used by royalty and rich people. The common folks also used jewellery made of copper, bronze, bones, horns, stones, semi precious stones, shells, glass, etc. The ~ u r o ~ e ' a travellers coming to India in the medieval period were amazed to see the large amount of jewellery worn by Indian women.

In our section on jewellery we will discuss the variety of jewellery as also the main centres of production of various rypes of jewellery. We will also take notice of the material 4 for making jewellery in India.

In the last section of this unit we will also discuss some smaller crafts practised in India. These will indude papier mache, horn works and shell works.

Let us start with ivory.

23.2 NORY

Ivory cwsists of the tooth structure of elephant, walrus (sea caw), hippopotamus, whale etc. At one time India had a flourishing craft in ivory. Presently India has banned.the practbg of this craft, its trade and tramaction in all forms. This has been done in view of proteaiag

a the elephants whose number is grad* dechhg Unscrupuloas poachers were k W q the

. animal for its tusks. A ban on hunting did not yield result, therefore, a tot91 ban on ivory hac been imposed.

I Here in this section we will mainly discuss the craft in historical cuntcxt.

A

- 232,l Variety of Articles

We get references to ivory works throughout the Indian history. A large nrrmber of ivory articles have been excavated from various Bites in India. -

himodern India the state of this craft in 19th and 20th unhuy has been r e c ~ ~ d d . Combs 3 ' were one of the common articles ma& with ivory. These are avail&& in varioucl rhapas and

sizts in different museums. Hair pins, dices, chessmen, stab, buttons, k a t i m p h a and ~ f o r j e w c U c r y ~ ~ ~ v a r i o n s o t h c r ~ . ~ l i k e ~ c a r s c r o l l s a a d ~ w m c made. Household f - e like legs d tables 4 chairs, hrlay work on table top, pabeaqflins etc. were prized exorbitantly. Ivory handles of swords, hilts, guns and other such ittmil were quite popular.

- - 2323 Ivory Through the Ages

w km*mlvmy. The earliest ivory objects adab le to us have come from Harappan c x c a v b . Ivory plaque showing a male figure and another with a deer like animal are e a r W figures frm Harappa. Hair combs and hairpias are also available from Harappa. Dices, scab a d ivory h a d l a have also becn found here. Tberc are no refere- to ivory iiL the v d k ~~, Howcw, the epics have a numbtr of rsferencer to ivory. W a y work on be6, pdaqub, cbariou ad furniture is referred to, in &may~na and IbWni-. Buddhbt litcram aLo fialrH reference to ivory objects. Arthaslsastra (around 3rd Ctntury B.C.) a h mcatioer ivory objects and gives its price dm. Kalidasa too referred to ornaments of ivory. A nttmbcr of ivory pieces have been unearthed in cncavatha at Uthur, FMhal (So& I&), Ckaad (Bi), Ahas (warthan), Tapti Valley, ~~a (U.P) Birbholai (Bar&# Erm aad Avra (Ma* pradcsh), Kauaambi (UP), S a q m r (Bihar), Rlrgar (Punjab) T d n (nou in PaListan) awl P r a (Gnjeaat).

During Medieval period a h the ivory work was considered a delicate craft. J attan& spakc very highly about the craftsmn! working with ivory in the royal edablishmem. A m m k d - boxes, powderhorn, dagger h d k s a d cbcsrmen are available from the Mughal Prrbd I'n 16th and 17th Centmy rhc aaft reached its zenith. m Orirra We get throne, legs a d f igarb 4

of Radha, and Ganab from Orism. In #mtb V'iagnagar had ivory bed st& md the palace had an ivory room where inlay work on doors dc. was done. Mysure has a h 33

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pravidcd b e a W palanquins. Figures of a number of saints 4 mother Mary are availpble fromrGae '

-6 .dm ~ C S bjeamhy, cards, p h u c frames, pa~er oa#ers, d e , ink & d s etc. were made.

In Wuat, Wuva in B h m a p Met was another im- mntm. Ha hmrum w e s , nws mat qwhldtrs, elephants, camela etc. were made with ivory.

wrk amritm wiw Eipwfor annbs, flwd and & y m k O f i V O l t y i a L ~ ~ o f ~ d d s i a r l i n

bad was famous for ivory work. Here fumhm was highly p r k d # - d d o b j a w a r ~ & ~ ~ l & .

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Ivory, Gems and mehicine also specific stones are prescribedfor different ailments. These stones are generally JeweUery worn in rings or as prescribed.

Check Your Progress-1 EzIl 1) Write a small note on ivory in Ancient India.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2) Why the craft of ivory has been banned in India ?

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3) List 4 places in India where precious stones are found?

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4) Write one line answers to the following questions :

i) Which Mughal emperor praised ivory work ?

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

ii) Where is pearl fishery carried out in India ?

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

iii) Name two buildings where ivory inlay work has been done on doors.

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Handicmfts - Continuity and Change 23.4 GQED AND SIT~WJIQ WQRKS

Gold and silver have always been considered precious metals across the world. In India also from the earliest times these were considered of great value. Gold and silver objects have been found in the excavations at Harappa, Mohanjodaro, Lothal, Kalibangan, Rehman Dehn and other ancient sites.

Both the metals are found in India. The main source of gold has been the Kolar gold mines in Karnataka. Besides, the gold was extractcd from the river beds in Kashnair. Punjab, Gujarat, Bengal, hills of U.P. and Assam. Rajasthan was the main source of the supply of silver. Hills of Kumayun, Himachal and Assam also yielded some amounts of silver. Indians had their own techniques of extracting gold and silver from the ore.

The gold and silver were used mainly in following ways:

Making jewellery (we will discuss it in Section 23.5).

Articles of daily use for the people of means.

o Statues of gods and goddesses

Objects for decorative purposes

Use of gold and silver thread for making textiles

e Making coins (before the advent of the paper currency).

Harappan excavating have yielded some silver vasses. A number of bowls, goblets and flasks of silver are preserved in the National Museum, New Delhi, dating back to 1st century A.D. The earliest ones are from Taxila region. The silver coins dating back to 6th ccntury and gold coins from 1st century are available in various museums. The gold and silver coins and other objects reached their zenith during the medieval period. We get references to the use of gold and silver utensils by the royalty during this period. A number of finer samples are available for all to see in various collections in India and abroad. The Mughals patronised the craft in a big way. During this period lage scale use of gold and silver wire in making costumes aiso took placc.

In contcmporary India the silver and gold objects are made all over the country by goldsmiths. Kashmir provides good quality of silver ware especially kettles, water vessels. cups, glasses and Hukkas with deep cut ornamentation with motifs. Kettles here are made with copper while lid base and handles are of silver. The designs of Kashmir are exquisite. In U.P some silverware is made in Moradabad. Lucknow also had an old tradition of good silver ware. The actual production is now diminishing here. Another important place in U.P. is Varminasi. For centuries gold and silver wire was made here and woven with silk to make fine sarees and dress material. The textiles thus made with scroll patterns, dots and stars in silver are called brocade. Kutch region and Ahmedabad in Gujarat are prominent centres for silver and gold work. Trays and cups with delicate floral work from Ahmedabad are specially noteworthy while Kutch region specialises in decorative items with superior designs and deep carving. Bengal also has a limited amount of silver work. Gujarat also has brocade work. Silver filigree work of Orissa and Gujarat are outstanding. Rajasthan too has a rich tradition of silver scrcens and other silver wires. South Tamilnadii has a tradition of icon making in silver. In Madura repousse work in silver is done. In Tamilnadu and Keraka some ritual pots and temple lamps are aiso made. Mysore als; has an age old tradition of makingvessels, glasses, cups and trays in silver and gold. Hyderabad and Bidar in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka are two important centres. Hyderabad is famous for producing betel cases (pandan) and other decorative items. These have a delicate cutwork in silver. In Bidar famous bidri work with silver wire is made (we have already discussed it in Unit-22).

23.5 QRNAMENTS AND JEWELLERY

India has a great variety of ornaments and jewellery. From grass jewellery of western ghats in Maharashtra to the best quality of gold and diamond jewellery made by finest craftsmen is worn by women and men. In terms of antiquity also India has a tradition of more than 5000 years of jewellery of gold and other materials.

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Hendicrh -Contindty In a large number of communities a thick waist enament is worn. It is called kardhani I and Change (kamardhani). Generally, married women wear it. i

The ornaments for the leg are of two types - the anklets and toe rings. Anklets come in various 1

shapes. Some cling to the ankles while others are loose like bangles.

There is a specific type called payal which is worn around ankles by women and makes a musical sound when women move around. The toe rings are worn in the fingers of feet. In most of the communities these are traditionally worn by married women only.

23.53 Jewellery Through the Ages

As already indicated jewllery has a long history in India. The existence of jewellery is known even in the prehistoric t&s but here we will give a brief description of jewellery in five thousand years of Indian civilization.

The Harappan excavations have yielded a number of ornaments. These include ear rings. bangles, strings of beeds, necklace, rings, hair phs and such other ite& ~ e i d s o f allvarieties are most these are of gold, silver, copper, bronze, different types of stones, shells, clay and semi-precious stones. Among stones steatite is most popular. Other semi precious stones used are agatt:, carnelian, faience, quartz etc.

Ornaments of ivory and bone are also found. The famous statue of dancing girl. discovered at Mohanjodaro is wearing large number of bangles.

There are large number of references of jewellery in the earliest known , text - the Rig Ved. Other Vedas and sources for vedic period makt2 constant references to ornaments of gold, silver and precious gems. These are worn by the gods, goddesses, men and women of all sorts. Rings, necklaces, ear rings, bangles etc. are mentioned as popular ornaments.

Ramayana and Mahabharat also provide enumerable references to ornaments and gold as precious objects. Buddhist ant1 Mauryan literature also refer to large number of ornments. Description of ornaments by Sudraka in his celebrated play Mrichhkatikaw (toy cart) written around 1st century B.C. or A.D. is worth quoting here. Describing the making of ornaments by a jeweller attached to courtesan's house Sudraka writes "where skillful artists were examining pearls, topazes, emeralds, sapphires, lapis lazuli, coral and other jewels. some set rubies in gold, some stling gold beads in colored thread, some string pearls, some grind lapis-lazuli, some cut shells, and some turn and pierce coral".

1 The sculptures of Sanchi, Bharhut and Amravati, paintings of Ajanta caves and sculpture of later period at Puri, Konark and Khajuraho show the variety of ornaments worn in India. Ornaments of hair, ear rings, necklaces, armlets, bangles, girdles for the waist, anklets and toe rings in all shapes and sizes are visible in the sculptures and paintings, dating

A ~ e f a s w w o m a n in tt~ditionaljewe~cry. back to thousands of years, with remarkable continuity.

Medieval period and especially during the Mughals the ornament and jewellery making reached new heights. A dumber of beautiful specimens of this period are preserved even to this day. The European travellers visitbg India in 16th and 17th were dazzled by the large variety and amount of jewellery used by the royalty and common folks. Sir Tho~nas Roe (early 17th century) described the Mughal court as the "treasury of the world". By am estimate the Mughad emperors spent almost 24% and nobilityU)% dtkirineorne on jewellery and gems. The MOS~ signifiGant feature of jewellely during the Mghal period was the use of jewels. Beautiful pieces of j-llery studded with diamonds, rubies, emeralds and pearls are best example.. of craftsmanship and skills of goldsmiths.

This tradition continued during the 18th and 19th centuries. During this period European iduence on ornament making is also visible.

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National Museum in Delhi has a very good collection of jewellery from Harappan period to the present (See Masterpieces from the National Museum Collection, ed. S.P. Gupta, National Museum, New Delhi, 1985). Victoria and Albert Museum has also brought out an excellent book on the jewellery collection in England - A Golden Treasury : Jewellery from the Indian Subcontinent, Susang Stronge, Nina Smith and J.C. Harle, London, 1988

233.4 Main Centres of Production

As % tbe case with other crfts, jewellery is also made in almost every townbjg or s-&. Gold smiths are the craftsmen associated with making ornaments. Now a days some artifkdal jewellery is made throu& machines also. Beads, gold and silver wire and chaias are made with machines also which are shaped into jewellev by craftsmen. These goldsmiths Mill the day to day needs of people in general. Here we will discuss some specific types of jewehry making which involves greater skills and diverse materials. At Matheran and We&mghats in Maharashtra are made grass ornaments. Necklaces, bracelets, armlets atxd &dl& m d o b~ beautiful patterns are used mainly by the thakurs and katharis of we%tern ghats. The tradition of these ornaments is hundreds of years old. Other specific ormuiwnts of Mahmhtra are gathla or patalima1 (necklace consisting of gold coins) and &s (rime ornament) made in bea~1t2d shapes. The .mli women in the region h e ti& a p d ' jewellery. Gathes (ear rin& and kanthis (multi string necklaces) are of &erest.

Gujamt and Rajasthan have awry tich tradition of jewellery. Gold and &amond orname dominate Ahmedabad and Surat jewellery. Kutch region of Gujar* and Erjasthan specialises in silver jmllery. There is a large variety of these. Use of colbrfd threads in jewellcry i s noticeable in Kutch. Shekhawati in Rajasthan specialises in silver ordmca.ts.

In nofthm India kashmir has the most exquisite jewellery. Beads made by vatich~ types of .st- are made into str* for neck. Halqaband, a necklace very populac in Kishmir, is

dtli gold or sil*. They are studded with precious stones. Within Kashpir Dogtas h m tbir epxific ornaments. Anklets of various types and Chaunkphool (a

a &e had) are the speciality of Jammu. Kanavajl (a bunch of silver ear rhtgs join&$'-with b h k thread) are worn by rural women. Balti women wear beautiful hall m m +shape= rhgs made with silver wires and beeds of silver. In Ladakh kndenb a d h o e h with god and turquoise ammade. The most striking work of Ladakh is per& an ornamental headdress. It is shaped like a serpent with a spread hood. It is made with a leather piece on which a cloth is fixed. On the cloth piece are stitched uncut turquoise stones along with corals, agate and cornelian. These are stitched and arranged in a number ofrows, Silver or gold strips and at time a silver charm box is also attached.

Awadh, Varanasi and parts of western U.P. have gold studded jewellery. Firozabad in U.P. has a rich tradition of glass bangles. The whole of India gets the supply of bangles from here. Garhwal and Kumaon hills in UB. as also Himachal Pradesh have a rich tradition of silver ornaments. Kinnaur and Chamba in Himachal Pradesh have kach and i t a d as neck ornaments, necklaces madzJaar4d silver coins, large nose rings and chak, a head omment made in delicate aad e.

In the east, B a a , B e e Orissa and Assam have their own style. the lac bangles made in these regions are domful In Bihar Madhubad and Muzaffarpur are famous. In Orissa Cuttack is famous for -work. Filigree is a precess in which silver wires are pleated and flattened very thin and beaten into various sizes and shapes. These silver @weads of varying thickness are used for making rings, necklaces, bracelets and ear rings. The t r a e m a l craftsman cxpert hr filigree also use beautiPal floral patterns to give shape to a number of objects. Gold and s h r blligree work iji dose is s d mounts in Bengal a h .

In Assam jewellery ia gold, silver and stones set in metals is quite popular. A spccial ban& called gamkholro with a clasp tvopen it is popular. A special big type of ear rbgs called rsoeaa' or hona are made here. $

In South Indig the ornaments are ma& mainly with pure solid gold with little or no stwe work. Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh is an a,mption 8

Ivory, Gems and JeweUery

art. -

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Handicrafts - ('ontinuity and Change

Iftad Ornunlenb Ornaments lor foot.

- ~~

Traditional Kodava jmellcry 01 Coorg.

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. - t , "'. ' P

Marriage n-ce or tbsU h mpdsin O&SS forms and shapa hroaghout .ox&. hhr@ cp popular are gold bea ds, work in regollsse or stamped sheet gold with appW wires ?;&. i stamped motifs. Many of thme are inscribed or decorated with figures of gods an8 goddesses, Shiva, Parvati, Nandi s n k and mythological are quite faJmite. Use afthick black&

.A

thread to hold pieces together is ammon. in Coorg region of Karnataka, gold- with beads of stones are woven together. The necklaces with sm are very common. In Miilabar aad some other parts of Ker thoda, a variety of large ear rings. The nom studin south also comes m miaay shapes. Besides, traditional South Indian je&llery Hyderzbad is home to h d a n warlc li(undan is setting of pr&m or semi prwiow s&ms within a frame d gdd. .Yhese stonm are set in beautiful floral patterns. At times, the reverse side is ornamented with enamel work of bright coIours. The Kudan and M e e d wark is don9 in Rajasthm also. Hydexabad also produces large amounts of glass bangles. . rn w: . -S I India has a large population. of nomadic and pastoral tribes spread over the length and breadth of the country. These tribes have a rich tradition of ornaments. The materials used bmost of the cases are silver, brass, bronze, bone, beads, of stones and a large variety of sundry materials. Here we dose our &%-on with a passage on tribal ornaments by Jaya Jaitly . , . d .. ...

. 4

"It is a characteristic fi& of tribd and semi maled to wear most of the ornaments they possess both tas security and status. The r e s u l t 3 dbdnant and profuse 7 amamentation with ear rings ofnuyhg sksgoing all the way up the ~ 4 g ~ ear, two or more nose rings and bangles of cow:hshell, bone or ivory,

A

whi& extend from the wrist to the tdww and upper arm along with ' ,'r~z arm lets and wrhtkts. kIegvy &ts in snwoth, plain or indented designs arc worn even at ni@, while thick n&huxi or chokers adorn lae neck a~ all &, ~ f m t h e - n e c k , ~ , h t h e ~ a n d ~ ~ f o r t h e a n k l e s , k a r d h o t r r i h t h e ~ nrrth or boff fbr t&e nose &&@car for $ue ems, are soale of the standard pieces worn -6r 4 t ~ ( ~ ~ g l ~ n + q ~ i ~ i i r ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ , lhditiom d indis, ~.93).

' I

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. . . ,

t i s Section we give you a brief account of &ee craf-

, . 2 . .L !MJ, . l &-LlLA&. # ? = - 8 variety of ;&ad b#e&s"&Zm aumaf"horns are mad% &i?znt parts of Indi. Horn of

tit' oceros was used for some medicinal purposes and making charms. This has n m been I mpletelybanned to protect the species. Horns of other animals are used for makingcombs,

#XIS, small animals, birds, toys, buttons, small trays, cigarette wes, boxes, ashtrays, pen " stands and lamps etc. Vishakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, Honever and Belgaum in

Kamataka, Trivendrum (Kerala), Cuttack and Parlakimedi in Orissa, and Sarai Taran in U.P. are the important places where this craft is practised. In Orissa animals, bids, bangles etc. are specific objects made. While U.P. is famous for making combs, cutlery himdles and toys. In Savantvadi and Ratnagiri districts of Maharashua, are made some ritual objects for pouring water on deities.

23.62 Shell Work

Sea shells and conch shells have for centuries been used for avariety of objects. Conch shells have religious and social significance also. These are wed through out the country for blowing on religioy occasions. The statues of Durga show her holding a conch in one hand.

A large number of shell objects nave been found in Harappan excavations. ~esities'f&ara~~a a number of ancient sites have provided shell objects wbich were used as ornameafs pr small decorative items.

I , (L '%I a number of coastal areas these ahM1*%& &made in present dayyhQa. In Vishakhapatnam tortoise shell is used for making trinklet boxes with designs ia geometrical pattern and floral designs etc. In Bengal different types of bangles are made. mdren's bangles called ginibala are beautiful with various patterns. In Neyyatidcera near Trimdrum (Kerala) small items of daily use are made. Here whole conch shells are shaped in to various .

forms. Small shells or cowries are also used for making a variety of items like necklaces for animal strings with large coloured beads, as trappings especially for horses, camels and cows ' etc. Cowries are also used for decoration as trinklet boxes, bags, stalls and shawls etc.

In Orissa are made small toys, figures by sticking together small shells. In some coastal :ions pendants and necklaces are made from shelk.

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23.63 Papier Mache

The Centrql Asian craft technique of using paper pulp as a base to manufacture finely painted and decorated objects was brought to India around the 16th century. This craft flomished especially in Kashrnir. The craft reached great perfection during the Mughal rule. The Mughal emperors were great patrons of the craft and brought craftsmen from Kgshmir to Delhi and Agra. However, Kashmir remains to be the main centre of this craft, Besides Kashmir the craft is practised in a limited way at Gauhati, Ujiain, Jaipur and a few places in ,--:-- south.

The technique of papier made craft involves two steps. The first is making the object from the raw material called sakhtasazi. The second stage is painting and decorating the object called muphi. a

The raw material is produced by grinding paper, cloth, rice straw and copper A

sulphate in a pulp. This raw material is made in to various shapes with the help of moulds of clay, wood or metal. After dryin& the shapes are cut and seperated from moulds. These pieces are again joined with a special glue A

made from gypsum and glue. The object is rubed to get a smooth surface. Sometimes objects are made with a light timber also. I For painting and decorating gold, white, black and red colours are commonly used. The artists prefer their own eolours by xnixing various herbal and chemical substances. The articles are hand painted with beautiful designs and flor J patterns, scenes with human figures and anigds etc.

1 1

The range of articles made is wide. The most popular articles are pen stands, trays, jewcllery chests, bowls, table tops, small and big boxes, candle stands, decoration pieces and eggs of various sizes and shapes. The ornamental work done on objects is intricate and done with great skill.

1) List a few articles made with horn.

y -

2) List the shell work done ateBengal, Orissa and Vishalchapatnam,

3) Write a small note on papier-mache work of Kashmir.

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23.7 LET-US SUM UP

In this Unit you read about the crafts of ivory, gold and silver works, gem, and jewellery and someother crafts. Craft'of ivory is no longer practised as there is a ban on it. The bail has been imposed byrthe government to protect the elephant population in the country. The tradition of a& is centuries old and some excellent pieces are preserved in various museums.

Gold and silver have already been considered precious metals. In India we have it lo& tradition of these all over the country. Precious stones and jewels are used as wealth and are used in jewellery and decoration in various objects. In India these are also used for astrological considerations for favourable planetary situations. These are considered to possess medicinal properties also. Jewellery and ornament making is a widely practised crafts. We discussed the materials used, variety of ornaments and main centres of ornament making. Hand crafted jewellery and setting of s t o w are delicate works done by skillful craftsmen. The Kundan work of Hyderabad and filigree works of Orissa are outstiinding foams of craftsmahip. Large scale use of ornaments by nomadic tribes are unique features.

We also devoted a small section on horn work, shell work and papier mache. The shell works are mainly confined to coastal areas while papier mache in all its glory is practised chiefly in Kashmir.

: ~ r t of fixing &d stows or qtha & 'in the gromg of plaip surface.

I

: Rearing of shell fishes to make pearls atifiMy.

'wbsimsm : A work of 4th century B.C. by Kautilya or Chanakya.

kpwsse work : The Repousse is the method of raking the in relief on t$in metal sheet.

: T d made with intern- goad a d &ver Unread.

~ d m w k : The colouring of metals or wood with lac or paints for decorating the surfaces or making designs.

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23.9 ANSWERS-TO CHECK YOUR PROGRESS EXERCISES

1) See Sec.23.2.

2) See Sec.23.2.

3) See Sec.23.3

4) i) Jahangir ii) Coastal regions of Gujarat, Orissa and South In&. iii) Golden Temple, Amritsar and Gaj Mandir, Bikaner.

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Check Your Progress-2 Ivory, Gems and ' Jewellery

1) Gold is found at Kolar in Karnataka and silver in Rajasthan.

2) a) ii b) i) c) iv d) iii

3) See Sub-sec. 23.5.1.

4) i) tika ii) nath iii) bazuband iv) guluband v) toe rings.

5) See Sub-sec. 23.5.4.

Check Your Progress3 - 1) See Sub-sec. 23.6.1.

2) See sub-sec. 23.6.2.

3) See sub-sec. 23.6.3.

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