Among the jewelry collections of the National Museum of New Delhi, one of the most valuable is the Taxilla collection, dating back to the 1st century BC - 1st century AD.
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It should be noted that the Taxila jewelry is a reminder of the diversity of pictorial and artistic images so characteristic of the Kushan Empire. This was a time when a single cultural space united the territories of India and Uzbekistan - India, Bactria, and Central Asia - combined characteristics, resulting in the mutual enrichment of many regional styles. Taxila jewelers adorned this cultural dialogue with precious gold, alluding to the common cultural landscape of our countries in the past.
These delicate gold items indeed testify to the history and international relations that connected the two countries during the Buddhist era.
Historical facts and archaeological finds testify to the existence of ties between India and Uzbekistan in many areas, in particular, in the sphere of religion, philosophy, art, various types of trade, and many others. The main factor of communication was Buddhism. Effective cultural exchange and dialogue between these regions reached its peak after the spread of Buddhist teachings from the Indian subcontinent to the territory of present-day Uzbekistan.
For reference: Takshashila, or modern Taksila, is one of the most important centers of the ancient world and remains an important link in the study of Central and Asia Minor's relations with India. This ancient Indian city was famous for its architecture, art, and craftsmanship, minted its own coins, and was praised in various epics and religious texts. Today, Taksila, located in the modern Punjab province of Pakistan, is a city with nearly 3,000 years of history and is an important archaeological site providing valuable information about various dynasties and societies that flourished in Central and Southwest Asia. He still holds an important strategic position. Historically, Taxila was an important trading center, located at the crossroads of ancient trade routes.
The jewelry collection at the National Museum of New Delhi is just one of these antiquities, reminiscent of the high level of skill and style of Taxila jewelry.
Discovered by Alexander Cunningham, the taxilla has been the object of archaeological research by archaeologist Sir John Marshall for twenty years. During excavations in Taksila, many jewelry items were found - beads, necklaces, earrings, rings, hair ornaments, and bracelets. In total, 213 pieces of jewelry made of precious metals, mainly gold, were collected.
Common methods for making Taxila jewelry include the use of gold sheets and linen, molding, and emphasis on details. Precious and semi-precious stones - carnelian, lapis lazuli, pearl, amethyst, agate, white orthoclase, chalcedony, ruby, and shells - were widely used. In the design of jewelry, floral patterns prevail - grapes and grape vines, flowers, etc. The ring, which has become a symbol of a wonderful style, and the earrings found next to it are unique examples decorated with expressive floral patterns.
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... Taxila jewelry is one of the many keys to understanding the cultural processes that connected ancient India with other regions of the world, particularly Uzbekistan, but the most significant. These items are especially interesting from the point of view of comparison with jewelry found in Termez and other monuments of Kushan Bactria. A collection from the Indian National Museum, dating back to the flourishing period of Buddhism, was found at the land junction of India and Uzbekistan. Considering that Buddhism flourished in the territory of modern Uzbekistan at that time and was a source of inspiration for many important monuments of local Buddhist art, it can be concluded that our countries shared the refined feelings and philosophical aspirations characteristic of this Hindu religion, which flourished in the land of Uzbekistan.