Indian Ruby-set Gold Marriage Tali Pendant

This small, gold pendant is a marriage pendant known as a tali from Tamil Nadu. It is made from gold sheet, with gold granulation work and other decoration. It is set with a faceted ruby (or similar).

The reverse is decorated with applied wire-work in a tree-of-life motif.

A similar example, but in sheet gold, is illustrated in Aitken  (2004, p. 108).

Marriage pendants were given to a bride at the time of her wedding and usually were worn until the first anniversary of the marriage. They were specific to communities and castes in Tamil Nadu: one was able to tell the caste or local ethnic community of the wearer based by the type of tali worn.

The shape of tali pendants derived either from the stylised, anthropomorphic image of a man, of from the U or V shape said to originate from the form of Vishnu’s feet.

The tali pendant here is in fine condition.