Mrs. Rt vttt-Carnac.
Collection of Ornaments worn bt the Natives op India. (From the London Exhibition
of 1872.) The jewellery in this Collection is of glass and gilt.
A.—HEAD ORNAMENTS.
1. “ Seethee ” or “ Bindee.” Head Ornament. Worn
by Hindoo and Mahomedan women in Upper
India.
This specimen is made in lae, and is worn by
the lower classes only. It is an Imitation of the
costly gold and jewelled Ornaments of a similar
shape worn by the rieh. The centre point falls
back over the hair, and the rosettes are fastened
into the ears. These lae Ornaments are much
worn in Bundelcund (Central India). The lae
bracelets in this Collection are worn by the same
classes. Stick lac is proeured in the jungles,
and is manufactured in the towns and villages.
There are large manufactories of shell lac under
European superintendence at Jubbulpore and
Mirzapore. A considerable quantity of shell
lac is annually exported from India via Calcutta
and Bombay.
2. “ Seethee ” or “ Bindee.” A head ornament in
silver similar to the above, and worn chiefly by
Hindoos.
The triangulär centre-piece hangs over the
forehead, and is fastened back into the hair by
the chain and hook. The large bosses are
fixed into the ears.
3. “ Bandnee.”
Head ornament somewhat similar to the
above-mentioned ones, made of pewter, worn
by the lower classes of Hindoos only. The
higher classes wear similar patterns in gold and
silver.
6. “ Seethee ” or “ Seventee.” This is an imitation
pearl and diamond head-dress worn by Hindoo
women.
The pattern is supposed to represent the
blossom of the “ seventee,” a flower much used
in their religious ceremonies. It is worn in the
same manner as the before-mentioned headdresses.
These imitation Ornaments are chiefly
manufactured in Delhi, Benares, and other
large cities.
7. “ Seethee ” or “ Seventee.”
Pendant imitation jewel, worn singly on the
forehead, by both Mahomedans and Hindoos,
but as a rule worn by the children, both girls
and boys.
8. 9. “ Bindees.”
Worn by all classes, but more especially by
the Mahomedans.
10. “Jumka.”
Worn by Hindoo women in the Hills; the
chains are worn across the head, the bell-ends
fall over the ears.
11. “ Jumka.”
Worn by Hindoo and Mahomedan women,
twisted in the back hair. This is a lac imitation
of the more costly kinds.
12,13,14,15. “Juma.”
Jewelled Ornaments. Worn by Mahomedan
women, falling low over the forehead.
IG. “Juma.” A similar ornament in gilt and turquoise.
A very handsome jewelled one displayed by a
Benares jeweller had, as pendants, repetitions
of an open hand, the crescent and a star, and a
feeble imitation of these designs may be traced
in the ornament here exhibited.
17, 18. “ Bij.” Worn chiefly by Hindoo women
in Bundelcund, fastened into the hair.
These specimens are in lac, and belong to the
same dass of Ornaments as the “ seethee ” and
bracelets mentioned above.
19, 1, 2, 3. “ Kaitucks.” Worn by Hindoo women
only.
They are composed of three different Ornaments
; the round boss is worn in the centre of
the hair, on the top of the head ; the leaf-shaped
and crescent-shaped Ornaments are worn in
front, towards the forehead. These Ornaments
are chiefly worn in the Maharatta country.
20, “ Rakhdee.”
This is the centre piece of the “ kaituck,” and
is worn, as already stated, by Maharattas and
Madrassee women. The latter often wear from
eight to sixteen smaller circles dotted about
their back hair. They are fastened into the
hair, sometimes by a spring or spiral twist,
sometimes by a metal loop through which is
passed a small plaited piece of hair. Hair pins,
save as silver Ornaments, are unknown.
21, “ Parak.” Turquoise head-dress. Worn by
Ladak and Thibetan women.
This head-dress, somewhat in the shape of a
cohra’s liood, is worn falling back from the
forehead over the head, often to the waist,
ioaded with turquoise in the rough, and quaint
cornelian brooches often engraved. A “parak ”
is a lady’s dower, and until she has one of
ordinary dimensions, a girl is supposed not to
marry. The hair is plaited into long thin wisps
intermingled to lengthen it with false hair made
of wool; the different plaits meet at the waist,
and there forming one single plait, they fall to
the ankles, ending in a bunch of artificial hair
similar to the tuft on a cow’s tail.
22, 24. . Silver head-dress.
Worn by the Hindoo women in the Koolu
valley and other parts of the Himalaya. The
silver boss and tassel hang down on the side
of the head.
25. . Silver pig-tail.
Worn twisted into the back hair, by both
Hindoos and Mahomedans.
23, 26, 27. Head Ornaments.
28, 29. “ Kunthia.”
Worn by Hindoo and Mahomedan women,
drooping over the side of the head, and usually
attached by its chains to an equal number of
ear-rings.
30,31. “Kunthia.”
Commoner specimens of the same ornament.
