Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
South Asia Gallery, Room 41

Earring

19th century to early 20th century (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
Tamil Nadu (made)

This gold ear ornament is known as a pampadam, It is worn in the earlobe by women of certain south Indian communities. It would be worn with one or two others of similar size and weight, pulling down and stretching the earlobe considerably. The remarkable semi-abstract design actually incorporates animal forms, showing the head of a snake or bird.


Object details

Categories
Images Online
Jewellery
SCRAN
Object type
Earring
Materials and techniques
Gold
Brief description
Pampadam, ear ornament, gold, S. India, 19th or early 20th century.
Physical description
Ear ornament with a representation of a cobra (pambadam).
This extraordinary ornament would have been worn with one or two others of similar size and weight, thus distending the ear lobe. The semi-abstract rendering of a zoomorphic form, perhaps based on a serpent or bird, with circular eyes, is combined with a strong geometrical design.
Dimensions
  • Height: 4.7cm
  • Max. width: 5.7cm
  • Depth: 4cm
Production
Probably made by the Papad Tribe of Tamil Nadu, India.
Subject depicted
Insects
Summary
This gold ear ornament is known as a pampadam, It is worn in the earlobe by women of certain south Indian communities. It would be worn with one or two others of similar size and weight, pulling down and stretching the earlobe considerably. The remarkable semi-abstract design actually incorporates animal forms, showing the head of a snake or bird.
Bibliographic references
  • Susan Stronge, Nima Smith, and J.C. Harle. A Golden Treasury : Jewellery from the Indian Subcontinent London : Victoria and Albert Museum in association with Mapin Publishing, Ahmedabad, 1988. ISBN: 0944142168 p.66 VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM (Hankyu Exhibition), The Art of the Indian Courts, Osaka (NHK Kinki Media Plan, V&A), 1993, p.155 PIACENTI, Kirsten Aschengreen, Susan Stronge, Cristina Del Mare, Rita Sharma et al., Gioielli dall'India dai Moghul al Novecento, La Rinascente, Milan, 1996, p.120 For other similar examples see UNTRACHT, Oppi, Traditional Jewelry of India, Thames and Hudson, London, 1997, pp.220-221 MARKEVITCH, Elizabeth (ed.),Indian Jewellery, Sotheby’s, Switzerland, 1987, p.97
  • Barnard, Nick, Indian Jewellery: The V&A Collection London: V&A Publishing, 2008 Number: ISBN 9781851774838 pp.118-9, pl. 6.14
  • Swallow, D., Stronge, S., Crill, R., Koezuka, T., editor and translator, "The Art of the Indian Courts. Miniature Painting and Decorative Arts", Victoria & Albert Museum and NHK Kinki Media Plan, 1993. p. 155, cat. no. 139
Collection
South & South East Asia Collection
Accession number
IS.5-1986

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Record createdDecember 15, 1999
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O15450/earring-unknown/
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