HISTORIC GEORGIAN PENDANT AT THE BRITISH MUSEUM • ქართული ჯვარი ბრიტანეთის მუზეუმში

UNVEILING AN HISTORIC GEORGIAN PENDANT AT THE BRITISH MUSEUM 🏛️
An Interview with Dr Rachel King 🎙️
ქართული სამეფო ჯვარი ბრიტანეთის მუზეუმში
@britishmuseum writes:
Made from diamonds, pearls, rubies, and spinels, jewelled crosses like this one were worn by Georgian noblewomen in the decades around 1800 ✨
Their form echoes the famous golden reliquary cross adorned with emeralds, rubies, and pearls associated with Queen Tamar (r. 1184-1213), who was the first woman to rule Georgia in her own right.
In summer 1919, Oliver Wardrop (1864-1948) returned to Tbilisi, having been appointed British High Commissioner there. In the 30 years since his first visit, Wardrop had mastered Georgian, translated Kartvelian poetry, and named his daughter Nino after the saint credited with introducing the kingdom of Kartli to Christianity.
A delegation of Georgian women visited Wardrop in 1920, accompanied by girls dressed in the red and white of the banner of St George (Georgia’s patron). The children presented him with this sparkling heirloom as a gift for his young daughter, Nino.
This ornate cross pendant was donated to the Museum by Nino Wardrop in 1983.
🏛 See this beautiful object on display in Room 2a of the Museum - The Waddesdon Bequest.
🔎 Diamonds, pearls, rubies, spinels and enamelled gold reliquary. Probably Tbilisi, Georgia, about 1800.