Title
Chain with interlocking segments
Year/Period
18th century
Region
South India
Material
Technique
Dimension
Object size: L:59.0 x W:10.0
Accession No.
1997-02254
Collection of
This stone chain ending in a leaf-shaped bell is an extremely unusual architectural ornament which has no known parallels. The chain comprises interlocking links in a floral pattern, originating from an inverted floral element. During the Hoysala period (c.12th -14th centuries), specialist sculptors and stone carvers worked intricate details on gigantic monuments. Their knowledge of stone masonry enabled them to carve with breathtaking precision. Such hanging decorations may have adorned the doorways of temples or palaces but are now no longer found in their original location.
