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This month is #SouthAsianHeritageMonth, which commemorates, marks and celebrates South Asian history and culture. To celebrate the month, we would like to share objects from our collection which showcase extraordinary South Asian artwork and craftsmanship.
These objects came from the Paris Universal Exhibition of 1878. Many were sent to the exhibition as part of commercial collections, to be sold, by Maharajahs including those of Punjab (comprising Patiala, Jind, Nabha and Kashmir) and by the School of Art in Bombay [Mumbai].
Our first object is this shawl, c.1878, made of muslin stencilled with flowers and edged with gold thread ribbon. #SouthAsianHeritageMonth
Object 2 is a steel pesh kabz (dagger), c. 1870–78, which has a handle inlaid with gold koftgari (decorative metalwork made by hammering gold or silver into engraved lines) and a velvet-covered sheath. It was made at the Patiala workshops, Punjab, India #SouthAsianHeritageMonth
Object 3 is a steel khanda (a double-edged sword and an important Sikh symbol), used to mix water and sugar during Sikh initiation ceremonies, with pistol and sheath, made at the Patiala workshops, Punjab, India (c.1870-78). #SouthAsianHeritageMonth
View this in 3D at the Anglo Sikh Virtual Museum: https://bit.ly/2XfqrGj #SouthAsianHeritageMonth
Object number 4 is an earthenware bottle with rich green floral designs was produced c. 1800–79 at the Bombay [Mumbai] School of Art in India. #SouthAsianHeritageMonth
![Object number 4 is an earthenware bottle with rich green floral designs was produced c. 1800–79 at the Bombay [Mumbai] School of Art in India. #SouthAsianHeritageMonth](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EegJvSZWAAEt2sV.jpg "Object number 4 is an earthenware bottle with rich green floral designs was produced c. 1800–79 at the Bombay [Mumbai] School of Art in India. #SouthAsianHeritageMonth")
Object number 5 is an earthenware bottle with narrow neck and green glaze, made at the Bombay [Mumbai] School of Art in India. #SouthAsianHeritageMonth
![Object number 5 is an earthenware bottle with narrow neck and green glaze, made at the Bombay [Mumbai] School of Art in India. #SouthAsianHeritageMonth](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EezkpFSXoAIa_Kg.jpg "Object number 5 is an earthenware bottle with narrow neck and green glaze, made at the Bombay [Mumbai] School of Art in India. #SouthAsianHeritageMonth")
Our 6th and final object is this glazed earthenware lidded jar with leaf designs, (c.1800–79) made at the Bombay [Mumbai] School of Art in India. #SouthAsianHeritageMonth
![Our 6th and final object is this glazed earthenware lidded jar with leaf designs, (c.1800–79) made at the Bombay [Mumbai] School of Art in India. #SouthAsianHeritageMonth](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EfJNzh3UEAQulk3.jpg "Our 6th and final object is this glazed earthenware lidded jar with leaf designs, (c.1800–79) made at the Bombay [Mumbai] School of Art in India. #SouthAsianHeritageMonth")
The objects we have shared as part of #SouthAsianHeritageMonth will be displayed in our Creative Castle gallery, which explores the castle’s journey to becoming a museum, showcasing beautiful, culturally and artistically important collections like the ones in this thread.
