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Pendants
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
Worn either as earrings or pendants from a crown, these double-sided, symmetrical jeweled assemblages each feature a fish as the central ornament. The pair of fish is one of a set of eight auspicious symbols known in Indian art for more than two millennia. As creatures of the waters that are essential for life, they betoken fertility and abundance—attributes of an ideal ruler.
Cleveland Museum of Art’s own descriptionCredit linePendants, 1800s. India, Delhi. Gilt silver with diamonds, emeralds, rubies, pearls, and enamel. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Wade, 1916.280
