Necklace India

THE MOHENJO DARO NECKLACE – A GIFT THAT CONSEALED HISTORY

THE MOHENJO-DARO NECKLACE

In 1950, five years after Brigadier Sir Robert Eric Mortimer Wheeler married (for the third time) Margaret Norfolk, he gifted his wife a unique seven-stranded bronze-metal necklace of great antiquity. The couple was on a visit to Simla then. This being the beautiful hill-station in North India where they had been married five years ago.  Margaret proudly showed the necklace to a close Indian lady friend explaining that Mortimer believed the necklace would bring him luck. “Third time lucky!” was what Mortimer had said when he gave her the necklace referring to his two earlier marriages to Tessa who died in 1936, and Mavis de Vere Cole, whom he had divorced in 1942 for cheating on him. Later in 1954, Mavis also served a prison sentence, having attained notoriety for shooting Lord Vivian in the abdomen with a revolver.

Two years later in 1952, after Mortimer was knighted, Margaret (for reasons not known) gifted the necklace to her Indian lady friend. The Indian lady believed Margaret nursed a superstition that the artifact should not leave the subcontinent. “It has been lucky for both him and Leslie. I think it has served its purpose,” was all that Margaret explained. Leslie Alcock was Mortimer’s assistant at the Mohenjo Daro excavation site (Moen-jo-daro being Sindhi for “the mound of the dead”) when the necklace was discovered.

Had Mortimer declared this discovery, the necklace should have been the property of the Archaeological Department of Pakistan along with the figures of the Dancing Girl and the King Priest (Brahmana priest), pottery, toys, seals, tools, weapons and many other such artifacts unearthed at Mohenjo Daro. Today it is a private possession of a family in Simla.

What is unique about this necklace is that it is at least 4500 years old, Mortimer Wheeler having discovered it in an earthen pot in the REM 1 “granary” area of the Mohenjo Daro excavation site of the Indus Valley Civilization, now in Pakistan.

Interesting details about the necklace

The ancient city of Mohenjo-daro was built around 2600 BCE and believed to have been abandoned around 1900 BCE. Even by modest estimation the age of the necklace would be over 3900 years old, but according to Mortimer more likely to be about 4500 years old, based on the pottery fragments and the level of the dig-site it was discovered from. This places it among the oldest necklaces in the world. The necklace has an S-shaped clasp with seven strands, each over 4ft long, of bronze-metal bead-like nuggets connecting each arm of the “S” in filigree. Each bead is less than the size of a pepper-seed and has many facets. Each strand has between 220 to 230 nuggets and there are about 1600 nuggets in total. The necklace weighs about 250 gms. An article about this necklace was reported in The Hindu newspaper in India, dated January 13, 1996. In 2002, a price of 80,000 British pounds was offered for the necklace by a private UK collector. Since its ownership had so far not been claimed by Pakistan, he had hoped to purchase the antique necklace for his personal collection, but the old Indian lady refused to part with it.

The Mohenjo Daro Necklace was exhibited during the Dubai festival in 2006, and recently at an antique exhibition in New Delhi raising speculation once again that it might be available for purchase. For reasons of propriety the name of the owner was withheld.

About the Author

Muskan Singh
Journalist

Are pearls inappropriate to give as a gift in India for staying in their home?

I am invited to a wedding in the Punjab and want to bring simple pearl necklaces as thank you gifts for the families and ladies (but not for all 1000!). Not sure if this is a bad choice in India for a gift.

Quite acceptable. As long as the overall cost of them does not exceed US$ 200. If you sense resistance make it just half while giving.
Too much value may embarrass a few not so affluent relatives who can’t afford valuable gifts.
In India in some communities they even keep a tab on who gifts how much and try to gift back an equivalent amount at an appropriate value.

Hyderabad, Necklace, after india pakistan match

Multi colors natural India Agate gemstone beads handmade jewelry necklace $3.99

india elephant Epoxy steampunk pocket clocket watch pendant necklace #5 $0.01

Necklace and earrings set jewelry india antique meenakari work reproduction  $12.99

vintage antique ethnic tribal old silver chain necklace pendant box south india $99.00

sterling silver om sign amulet pendant necklace rajasthan india $68.00

sterling silver snack amulet pendant necklace rajasthan india $99.00

India Inspired Necklace Turquoise Stones Blue Stones Bold Multi Layer Necklace $32.00

VINTAGE ANTIQUE 20K GOLD DIAMOND POLKI KUNDAN ENAMEL WORK PENDANT NECKLACE INDIA $4,645.00

VINTAGE ANTIQUE TRIBAL OLD SILVER JEWELRY NECKLACE INDIA $322.00

Desert Rose~~Handmade Jasper Gemstone Long Beaded Necklace~~Novica India $39.95

Evening Mist~~Handmade Smoky Quartz Gemstone Long Beaded Necklace~~Novica India $39.95

Jaipur Princess~Artisan Handmade Garnet & Sterling Silver Necklace~~Novica India $47.95

Jaipur Princess~Artisan Handmade Peridot & Sterling Silver Necklace~Novica India $47.95

Jaipur Princess ~~ Handmade Amethyst & Sterling Silver Necklace ~~ Novica India $47.95

Golden Autumn ~ Citrine & Garnet & Sterling Silver Beaded Necklace~~Novica India $39.95

Buddhist Altar / Candle Holders / Brass $179.99 Making offerings to me now & making offerings to me in future will produce equal merit. This is due to the blessing power of the Buddha, ordinary beings cannot understand this. In Buddhism, symbolic offerings are made to the Triple Gem, giving rise to contemplative gratitude & inspiration. Typical material offerings involve simple objects such as a lit candle, burning incense, flowers, food, fruit…

Crystals Empowerment Bowl $139.99 Making Offerings to Me Now & Future will Produce Equal Merit This is blessing power of Buddha, ordinary beings cannot understand this. A proper altar holds images or representations of Buddha’s enlightened body, speech & mind which serve as reminders of the goal of Buddhist practice-to develop these qualities in oneself so as to be able to fully benefit all sentient beings. The reason for setting …

Goddess Kali Photo Mugs The Goddess Kali, the malevolent aspect of Shivas wife Parvati. she wears a necklace of 50 human skulls a frequents cremation grounds. ….

Rag Mala – A Necklace of Melody 1956 of traditional Indian music applied to Christian themes. Recorded at Leonard Theological College – Jabalpur, M.P. India. Produced by The Protestant Radio & Television Center….

Titanic (Three-Disc Special Collector’s Edition) $19.99 When the theatrical release of James Cameron’s Titanic was delayed from July to December of 1997, media pundits speculated that Cameron’s $200-million disaster epic would cause the director’s downfall, signal the end of the blockbuster era, and sink Paramount Pictures as quickly as the ill-fated luxury liner had sunk on that fateful night of April 14, 1912. Titanic would surpass the $1-billion mar…

A Scalar Energy Store’s Scalar Energy Pendant w/Neg Ion Charge Silicone Protection Ring $3.29 Our Anion & Scalar Energy Pendant is a wearable handmade jewelry made from special Japanese volcanic lava and contains 70 Natural Cosmic Energy Minerals, manufactured & processed under extreme temperature before it is coagulated to form bio-ceramics under low temperature treatment & structurally bonded together at a molecular level. The QBP Pendant has the highest negative ions count in the market…

Labello Classic Lip Balm 5 g stick $4.49 If you’ve spent any serious time in Europe, chances are you’ve tried Labello. The creamy, protective and extra-smooth formula has made it a mainstream staple across the pond for decades. Each day we receive orders from recently returned backpackers, finicky fashionistas and everyone in between desperately seeking lip satisfaction. Try Labello today to see what all the fuss is about. The Original F…

Om Carved Yak Bone Necklace with Beads $12.99 Hand carved in Nepal by a small family of skilled artisans. Necklace is 9″ hanging length. A white Om symbol on black background and rosewood beads. Each one is made by hand so please expect slight variations from the picture. Om is the supreme and most sacred syllable, consisting in Sanskrit of the three sounds (a), (u), and (m), representing various fundamental triads and believed to be the spok…

Twilight Edward’s Wristcuff Replica Jewelry $16.99 Twilight Edward’s Cullen Crest symbol Leather Wearable Prop Wristcuff replica. Black band with the crest on it. You lace it on your wrist. Lenght is 5 inches of leather the leather lace can make it fit a guys regular wrist….

Chewy Tube Super Chew Promo Pack $10.99 This pack includes 2 Super Chews from Chewy Tubes and a chewable Jewel bracelet! Chewy Tubes Super Chews feature easy-grasp, closed loop handles that are easy for little fingers to grasp and hold. Made with a solid stem, that’s designed especially for biting and chewing skill practice. These 4″ Chews are latex-free, lead-free, Non-toxic, and non-flavored. Includes: · Knobby Red · …