Pambadam Earrings, 19th-20th century, 2 1/4 x 2 x 2 1/8 in. (5.72 x 5.08 x 5.4 cm), Gold, India, 19th-20th century, The unique shape of these earrings represents an abstracted image of a cobra laying eggs on her nest. Amid the complex arrangement of geometric forms, one can discern two bulging eyes on a widespread hood. Especially in rural regions of Southern India, where these earrings were commonly worn, snakes are simultaneously revered and feared. While they signal protection, their close association with water and the earth also makes them emblems of fortune and fertility.

Pambadam Earrings, 19th-20th century, 2 1/4 x 2 x 2 1/8 in. (5.72 x 5.08 x 5.4 cm), Gold, India, 19th-20th century, The unique shape of these earrings represents an abstracted image of a cobra laying eggs on her nest. Amid the complex arrangement of geometric forms, one can discern two bulging eyes on a widespread hood. Especially in rural regions of Southern India, where these earrings were commonly worn, snakes are simultaneously revered and feared. While they signal protection, their close association with water and the earth also makes them emblems of fortune and fertility.

Album / quintlox

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5912 x 4163 px | 70.4 MB

50.1 x 35.2 cm | 19.7 x 13.9 in (300 dpi)