Indian Jewellery

BBC Learning EnglishLondon LifeIndian JewelleryAnna: Hello, I'm Anna Jones and this is London Life.
　　And in today’s programme we focus not so much on Londonlife as one aspect of Indian cultural life that recentlycame to London. A London gallery recently hosted anexhibition of Indian jewellery most of which was made byjewellery makers¹ from the Indian city of Jaipur.
　　Jaipur has been a centre for jewellery making for manyyears - priceless gems² including rubies³, diamond andemeralds have all been turned into jewellery for the mogulemperors of the past and jewellery is still made theretoday. BBC reporter, Anna Macnamme, was shownaround the exhibition by the curator, Harry⁴ Fane. She askedhim to describe one of the pieces of jewellery in theexhibition. How many diamonds are there on this necklace?
　　How many diamonds are there on that one? There are alot of diamonds because we have this top fringe⁵ whichcontains there must be 200 what they call Moguul-cutdiamonds and then you’ll see a whole range of these tear-shaped diamonds set in enamel⁶ which are much larger thatthe ones above and the bottom ones probably weigh about 2-3carats each.
　　Anna: Did you catch how many diamonds are on on thatnecklace? Well Harry said that there are 200 Mogul-cutdiamonds. The word mogul refers to an important person whohas great wealth or power. Harry says that you can see a “whole range” - there’s a whole set - of tear shapeddiamonds on the necklace – diamonds that are in the shapeof a tear. He tells Anna that the diamonds are set inenamel which is a glass like substance often used fordecoration. The diamonds that are set in the enamel eachweigh about 2-3 carats – a carat is a unit for measuringthe weight ofjewels.
　　London Life  ? BBC Learning EnglishPage 1 of 3bbclearningenglish.comBut why did Jaipur become such an important centre forjewellery making? Annaasked Her Royal Highness the Maharini of Jaipur thisquestion. What does she reply?
　　Maharaja Jai Singh of Jaipur who built the city of Jaipuris responsible for that. He built the city of Jaipur withstraight streets and beautifully designed city. And so topopulate it he invited people from all over India to comeand settle there, so many jewellers or artisans came fromBengal and from all over the Punjab and everywhere andtheir descendants⁷ are still in Jaipur and they’re the oneswho do the work for the jewellery and so that’s why Isuppose Jaipur became a centre of jewellery.
　　Anna: According to Her Royal Highness the Mahararni(Marherrarnee) of Jaipur, the reason why Jaipur became acentre for jewellery making was because of a decision byone man. Maharaja Jai Singh built Jaipur and he madesure that it was a beautifully designed and constructedcity. But he also needed people to live thereso he invited people from all over India to settle in thenew city. These people included artisans – people who doskilled work with their hands. It was some of theseartisans who became the jewellery makers in Jaipur. Andit is their descendants – their relatives from latergenerations who are still working as jewellery makers inJaipur today.
　　Anna: But why was the jewellery so popular with Indianprinces? Anna put this question to Alan Jaffer, the authorof a recently published book about Indian jewellery. Whydid Indian princes like wearing jewels so much?
　　We have to remember of course that jewellery also forms avery, very easily liquidated⁸ asset⁹. So in fact when aprince is wearing jewellery he is wearing his Treasury¹⁰ andrepresenting his wealth and his authority for thepossession of rare and wonderful stones.
　　Anna: Well according to Alan Jaffer Indian princes usedto like wearing jewellery because it immediately showedother people how wealthy or rich they were. They would beable to display their wealth through their jewellery and itrepresented their Treasury – how much money they had. Hesays it was also a very easily liquidated asset –jewellery was a very valuable item that could easily besold and turned into money if necessary. Alan Jaffer goesonto describe a photograph of an Indian prince who iswearing a lot of jewellery. What is the word he uses whichdescribes the male ruler of an Indian state?
　　He’s the rather extraordinary Maharaja Patialla and he wasa particularly extravagant¹¹ man – great great taste forshow and display. He loved medals he loved jewels he lovedcars he loved women – he had a great taste for all thatwas best in life. And its rather dazzling¹² when you look atthese photographs of these princes who were literallyshowered with diamonds.
　　Anna: The word he uses is Maharaja which means the maleruler of an Indian state. Alan describes him as anextravagant man – someone who’s extravagant spends moneyin a rather uncontrolled way. This maharaja loved luxuryand all the good things in life which included expensivejewellery – Alan says that it was rather “dazzling” –rather exciting – to see these old photographs of princeswho were showered or covered with diamond jewellery. That’
　　s all from this edition of London Life – goodbye.

1 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 gems   

growth； economy； management； and customer satisfaction 增长

参考例句：

• a crown studded with gems 镶有宝石的皇冠
• The apt citations and poetic gems have adorned his speeches. 贴切的引语和珠玑般的诗句为他的演说词增添文采。

3 rubies   

红宝石( ruby的名词复数 )； 红宝石色，深红色

参考例句：

• a necklace of rubies intertwined with pearls 缠着珍珠的红宝石项链
• The crown was set with precious jewels—diamonds, rubies and emeralds. 王冠上镶嵌着稀世珍宝—有钻石、红宝石、绿宝石。

4 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

5 fringe   

n.边缘；（窗帘）缘饰，额前垂发；vt.饰...的边

参考例句：

• The girl wears her hair in a fringe.那女孩留着刘海。
• This is an enormous field of which l can touch only the fringe.这是一个很广阔的领域，我在这里只能谈个大概。

6 enamel   

n.珐琅，搪瓷，瓷釉；(牙齿的)珐琅质

参考例句：

• I chipped the enamel on my front tooth when I fell over.我跌倒时门牙的珐琅质碰碎了。
• He collected coloured enamel bowls from Yugoslavia.他藏有来自南斯拉夫的彩色搪瓷碗。

7 descendants   

n. 后代，后裔 名词descendant的复数形式

参考例句：

• They were the direct descendants of the Dutch settlers. 他们是荷兰移民的直系后裔。
• They are the descendants of Queen Victoria. 他们是维多利亚女王的后裔。

8 liquidated   

v.清算( liquidate的过去式和过去分词 )；清除（某人）；清偿；变卖

参考例句：

• All his supporters were expelled, exiled, or liquidated. 他的支持者全都被驱逐、流放或消灭了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• That can be liquidated at market value any time. 那可按市价随时得到偿付。 来自辞典例句

9 asset   

n.有价值的资源，优点，长处；财产，资产

参考例句：

• Ability to get along with people is an asset in business.在商业界善跟别人相处是可贵的优点。
• Intelligence was her main asset.智力是她的主要财富。

10 treasury   

n.宝库；国库，金库；文库

参考例句：

• The Treasury was opposed in principle to the proposals.财政部原则上反对这些提案。
• This book is a treasury of useful information.这本书是有价值的信息宝库。

11 extravagant   

adj.奢侈的；过分的；(言行等)放肆的

参考例句：

• They tried to please him with fulsome compliments and extravagant gifts.他们想用溢美之词和奢华的礼品来取悦他。
• He is extravagant in behaviour.他行为放肆。

12 dazzling   

adj.眼花缭乱的；耀眼的

参考例句：

• The sky is clear and blue, the sunlight dazzling. 蔚蓝天空，阳光灿烂。
• The light reflecting off the snow was dazzling. 雪的反光很刺眼。