T L Viens

Inspired by the legendary Peacock Throne, imperial miniature paintings and traveller’s tales, this dissertation examines the formation and consolidation of the Mughal lapidary programme through the lenses of technical mastery, aesthetic preference and empire consolidation. The dissertation uses variegated sources ranging from visual analysis on surviving objects, primary research such as the Shahnama and the Baburnama, secondary scholarship, and theoretical sources within the fields of art and political history, technicity and patronage. It seeks to provide evidence for: the political and cultural backdrop of the Mughal lapidary tradition; the hybrid and syncretic nature of the Mughals in the lapidary arts and the emergence of a distinct and discernible ‘Mughal programme’. This exploration focuses on inscribed gemstones and jewels with dynastic significance, drawing parallels between the non-indigenous Mughal dynasty and the erstwhile Timurid and Ghengisid civilizations– as well as rivalling regional powers, namely the Ottoman Turks and the Persian Safavids. Culminating in an examination of the Mughal jewel treasury, this dissertation provides evidence for the mobilization of gemstones as a foundation for Mughal claims of political legitimacy.