**Originally Listed At $400**

Central Asia, India, Mughal Empire, ca. 16th to 17th century CE. A brilliant green aventurine intaglio, incised on one face with an inscription that reads: "Zifteh Ali Din Ajmeri". Zifteh Ali was the owner, while Din Ajmeri means of the city of Ajmeri, a city in Rajasthan that was important for Sufism. This would be perfect for setting into a modern ring and the green color is really stunning. Mughal elites adored precious stones, not just for their beauty, but also for protective and magical properties that they believed each stone had. Their incredible jewelry is part of a long tradition that came to its height with the Mughals. When they conquered India from Central Asia, they brought the technical skills to set gems with them. In order to enforce their high social status, the Mughals passed Sumptuary Laws that decreed only members of the upper class could wear jewelry like this. Size: 0.7" H (1.8 cm)

Provenance: ex-private Atticart collection, London, United Kingdom, acquired in 2007; ex-private English collection from the 1950s

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#141644

Intact, with very light surface wear commensurate with age.