ASIAN CIVILIZATION MUSEUM, SINGAPORE, PRESENTS EXHIBITION OF MUGUL ARTIFACTS

A DAZZLING EXHIBITION OF JEWELED ART WORKS IN SINGAPORE WILL TRANSPORT YOU TO THE GRANDEUR OF THE LEGENDARY, LUXURY-LOVING INDIAN DYNASTY THROUGH OVER 400 AMAZING ARTIFACTS RANGING FROM GEM STONES WITH ISLAMIC INSCRIPTIONS TO JEWEL-ENCRUSTED DAGGERS. THE 'TREASURY OF THE WORLD' AT THE ASIAN CIVILIZATION MUSEUM IS A STUNNING SHOWCASE OF THE SPLENDOR OF THE MOGULS, WHO WERE KNOWN FOR THEIR LAVISH LIFESTYLE DURING THEIR RULE FROM THE LATE 16th TO 19th CENTURIES. THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE EXHIBITION ARE A NEARLY 250 CARAT BALAS RUBY INSCRIBED WITH THE NAMES OF SIX ROYAL RULERS, AN ELABORATELY DECORATED DAGGER AND SCABBARD WITH PATTERNS OF BIRDS AND FLOWERS MADE FROM 2,000 GEM STONES INCLUDING RUBIES, EMERALDS AND DIAMONDS, AND A RUBY PENDANT WITH A CAMEO PORTRAIT OF SHAH JAHAN. SHAH JAHAN IS THE MOGUL EMPEROR WHO BUILT THE TAJ MAHAL IN MEMORY OF HIS BELOVED WIFE, MUMTAZ MAHAL. THE MOGULS, WHO SAT ON THE LEGENDARY PEACOCK THRONE STUDDED WITH THE KOHINOOR DIAMOND, WERE KNOWN FOR THEIR LOVE FOR EVERYTHING LAVISH. APART FROM THE BEJEWELED DAGGERS, TURBAN ORNAMENTS AND ARCHERY RINGS, THEIR APPRECIATION FOR TH FABULOUS ALSO EXTENDED TO EVERYDAY ITEMS SUCH AS SERVING DISHES AND BACK SCRATCHERS STUDDED WITH JEWELS. 'THE MOGUL EMPIRE WAS ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL DYNASTIES THE WORLD HAS EVER KNOWN. MOST MOGUL RULERS REVELED IN THE LUXURY THAT THEIR PRIVILEGED POSITION AFFORDED THEM', SAID A SPOKESPERSON FOR THE ASIAN CIVILIZATION MUSEUM. SINCE ITS FIRST SHOWING IN NEW YORK, THE EXHIBITION HAS TRAVELED TO THE BRITISH MUSEUM, THE LOUVRE AND THE HERMITAGE IN ST PETERSBURG BEFORE ITS CURRENT STOP AT THE ASIAN CIVILIZATION MUSEUM. BUT THE MOGUL PIECES, PART OF THE FAMOUS AL-SABAH COLLECTION, WERE ONCE ALMOST LOST TO WAR EVEN BEFORE THEY BEGAN THEIR HISTORIC JOURNEY. THE AL-SABAH COLLECTION IS ONE OF THE WORLD'S LARGEST ISLAMIC ART COLLECTIONS CONSISTING OF MORE THAN 25,000 WORKS FROM THE 7th TO THE 19th CENTURY. DURING IRAQ'S INVASION OF KUWAIT IN 1990, THE AL-SABAH COLLECTION WAS LOOTED AND TRANSPORTED TO BAGHDAD WHERE IT REMAINED UNTIL RETRIEVED WITH THE HELP OF THE UNITED NATIONS. SINGAPORE IS THE EXHIBITION'S FIRST STOP IN ASIA. IT RUNS UNTIL 27.JUNE AND THEN HEADS TO KUALA LUMPUR.