Diadem with Kinnaris (Half-Bird, Half-Female Creatures)

Diadem with Kinnaris (Half-Bird, Half-Female Creatures)

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This three-piece repoussé diadem is a rare example of early Indian jewelry. Four kinnaris—half-bird, half-female celestial celebrants—dominate the design. It was probably made in Kashmir, judging by the likeness of the kinnaris to those depicted on the ninth-century temple of Avantisvamin at Avantipur, Kashmir.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Diadem with Kinnaris (Half-Bird, Half-Female Creatures)Diadem with Kinnaris (Half-Bird, Half-Female Creatures)Diadem with Kinnaris (Half-Bird, Half-Female Creatures)Diadem with Kinnaris (Half-Bird, Half-Female Creatures)Diadem with Kinnaris (Half-Bird, Half-Female Creatures)

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.