No Gods, No Masters

Quilt from Saurashtra. Scanned from the book Living Traditions of India: Crafts of Gujarat; 1985; Jasleen Dhamija

Mughal Carved Emerald Necklace,

The necklace showcases five magnificent Colombian emeralds totalling approximately 1,150 carats, anchored by an extraordinary 470-carat centerpiece bearing the inscription of Ahmad Shah Durr-I Durran, founder of the Durrani Empire spanning Afghanistan and northwest India.

This historic provenance places the emerald among legendary companions — the Timur Ruby and the Koh-I-Noor diamond both bear identical inscriptions, a testament to their shared passage through the corridors of Mughal power from 1612 onwards.

A page from an approximately 900-year-old manuscript belonging to the Habott Library in Chinguetti. This remarkable work recounts the history of the Prophet's family and the development of Islam.

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