Antique Indian Mar Thoma Pendant
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An unusual and evocative early 20th-century Indian pendant, finely carved from a single piece of translucent white nephrite jade, and inlaid with vibrant turquoise cabochons set in high karat gold. The jade, sometimes described as “mutton fat” jade for its soft pale grey-green translucency, has been worked into a distinctive cross form in the Mughal style.What makes this pendant especially rare is the integration of the Mar Thoma Sleeva, or Saint Thomas Cross, a Christian symbol rooted in the 1st-century evangelism of Saint Thomas the Apostle in India. Traditionally associated with the ancient Saint Thomas Christian community of Kerala, these crosses often combine Christian iconography with Indian motifs such as lotus flowers or tree-of-life designs, symbolising purity, rebirth, and spiritual transcendence.This piece, with its turquoise-inlaid cross flowering from the jade ground, would have been worn as a personal declaration of faith and identity within one of the world’s oldest continuous Christian traditions. The use of precious jade, gold, and turquoise speaks to both devotional and aesthetic values, placing the pendant at the intersection of Indian craftsmanship and religious heritage.With its sculptural form and rare combination of materials, the pendant is a striking survival from a little-documented tradition of Indian Christian jewellery.Weight: 5.31gDimensions: 28 × 34 × 4 mmFitted with an old 9ct rose gold bale.Excellent condition.
An unusual and evocative early 20th-century Indian pendant, finely carved from a single piece of translucent white nephrite jade, and inlaid with vibrant turquoise cabochons set in high karat gold. The jade, sometimes described as “mutton fat” jade for its soft pale grey-green translucency, has been worked into a distinctive cross form in the Mughal style.
What makes this pendant especially rare is the integration of the Mar Thoma Sleeva, or Saint Thomas Cross, a Christian symbol rooted in the 1st-century evangelism of Saint Thomas the Apostle in India. Traditionally associated with the ancient Saint Thomas Christian community of Kerala, these crosses often combine Christian iconography with Indian motifs such as lotus flowers or tree-of-life designs, symbolising purity, rebirth, and spiritual transcendence.
This piece, with its turquoise-inlaid cross flowering from the jade ground, would have been worn as a personal declaration of faith and identity within one of the world’s oldest continuous Christian traditions. The use of precious jade, gold, and turquoise speaks to both devotional and aesthetic values, placing the pendant at the intersection of Indian craftsmanship and religious heritage.
With its sculptural form and rare combination of materials, the pendant is a striking survival from a little-documented tradition of Indian Christian jewellery.
Weight: 5.31g
Dimensions: 28 × 34 × 4 mm
Fitted with an old 9ct rose gold bale.
Excellent condition.
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