Jewellery of Tibet and The Himalayas

This book presents the traditional jewellery of Nepal, Tibet and the Himalayas in all its splendour, and tells the fascinating stories of trade, conquest, faith and fortune that lie behind it. The jewellery of the region has an extraordinary visual impact, with its vibrant combination of gold and silver with turquoise, coral, amber and pearls, elements of which were traded from countries far distant from the Himalayas. It is worn as much for its religious and talismanic associations as for adornment, and may well represent a woman’s whole portable wealth in terms of a dowry. John Clarke has traveled widely in the region and his illuminating text discusses the connection of jewellery to religion and folk beliefs and its rich and many-layered symbolism. Drawing together historical accounts and the oral traditions of living craftsmen, he gives I picture of how goldsmiths and jewelers operated in the past and today, and how jewellery was, and is worn now. He shows Nepal economic crossroads of Asia, center of a world-wide network of trade routes, rather than the isolated Shangri-La of imperial history. This beautifully illustrated book draws on the finest examples from the V & A and other British collections, both public and private. It brings into the spotlight one of the richest decorative traditions of the world, and one increasingly appreciated and emulated in the west.