Gold amulet, jibi, from Gujarat

Circular gold amulet with a soldered loop at the top with a ball finial ornamented with stamped wire and granulation and a stamped applied lozenge. The gold disc is decorated with bands of stamped wire, stamped motifs of false granulation with a border of cones with granulated rosette finials repeated in an inverted T-shape at the top delineating two segments with a pair of hemispheres also with granulated finials which represent the breasts of the Mother Goddess.

Given by Dr W. Ganguly

This amulet is part of the large donation of Indian folk jewellery from Dr Waltraud Ganguly which was collected over the last few decades before her death in 2015 from dealers in both India and Europe, in parallel with extensive fieldwork she carried out in the Indian Sub-Continent. It was shown at the exhibition in the Goldschmiedehaus, Hanau, Germany, 18 October 2013 - 18 January 2014. It was bought from the Asian art dealer, Hans Weihreter in Augsburg, Germany in 1998 for 1550 DM.

Untracht (1997), describes how amulets of this sort were 'worn as a central pendant on a traditional silver necklace.. usually flanked by two gold beads... The necklace would be worn by Dhebar Rabari women and others'.

IS.162-2019