A Mughal emerald pendant carved in the image of a deity, India, 18th century

In Mughal India emeralds were associated with the fertility of nature and were believed to aid good vision. The Mughals also believed emeralds, like other precious gems, had strong astrological associations. Such emeralds originated from Columbia and would have reached India via Spanish merchants as trade goods during the Mughal period. The first emerald mine was at Chivor, discovered in 1555 and another later at Muzo in 1560. Enormous quantities of emeralds were acquired by the Mughals and a strong trade developed with Indian merchants, who purchased the largest and finest quality stones. They were often gifted by Mughal emperors to deserving courtiers as a reward for good service. The regular bestowing of gifts to courtiers required a constant supply of jewels to be on hand. Abu'l-Fazl tells us of Akbar's twelve treasuries (khanzana), three of which were for precious stones, gold and jewellery (Ain-i Akbari, vol III, p.14). Abu'l-Fazl further mentions that the gems in the treasury were stored according to weight with emeralds coming first, followed by rubies, diamonds, pearls and sapphires (Ain-i Akbari, vol III, p.16). Retention of weight was an important factor in the fashioning of these gems so excessive cutting and carving was generally avoided. 

Emeralds carved with figures are rare and possibly relate to the ivories and cameos that the lapidaries at the Mughal court copied from European imports. A carved sapphire figure of a Hindu deity, formerly in the Rothschild Collection, is attributed to the seventeenth or eighteenth century (Spink (ed.) 1988, pp.64-5, no.48). A South Indian seventeenth-century carved emerald deity, formerly in the collection of Lord Glenconner (1926-2010), sold in Christie's New York, 19 June 2019, lot 289, while a late eighteenth century pendant of similar composition, with a carved emerald kundan set with sliced spinel, sold in Christie's New York, 19 June 2019, lot 213.