The present treatise “Indian jades”, provides the most authentic and trustworthy account of the origin and development of Indian jade art. Earlier, there existed a good deal of controversy and confusion about the origin and development of the art of Indian jade carving.

It is believed that Indians first started producing jade specimens during the rule of the Mughal Emperor, Jahangir. Indians did not know jade as a raw material till the advent of Mughals in India. However, the present work proves that it will be incorrect to presume that Indians had not known the art of jade carving till the beginning of Mughal rule in India. Scant attention has been paid to contemporary literary works, such as manuscripts, historical records and travelogues which contain enormous information to supplement and strengthen our study.

The present book will be of great importance both to researches and scholars to know the origin, development of art of Indian jade carving. 

About the Author

Dr M.L. Nigam (b. 1933) is Former Director of the renowned Salar Jung Museum, Hyderabad. He did his Masters and Ph.D. from Lucknow University and later went as a Commonwealth scholar to the U.K. He joined London University where he pursued higher studies in archaeology and museology. He did his A.M.A. (Diploma in Museology) from London and was elected Fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society, London, Great Britain in 1963. He joined the Salar Jung Museum, Hyderabad in 1964 and was appointed as a Director in 1975.

He has published more than dozen of books on Indian decorative art such as Indian jewellery and Indian jades, Indian sculptures, archeology and museology. He has contributed numerous research papers in various leading national and international journals and magazines. He has also worked as an editor of the Journal of Museums Association of India, New Delhi and also of the Salar Jung Museum Bi-Annual Research Journal, Hyderabad.

He is associated with various cultural and educational institutions as an expert and consulted by many international academics and scholars on a wide variety of subjects.