Amazon: http://amzn.to/1ejUH2r The engagement ring in Western society symbolizes a promise to wed. The wedding band signifies fidelity to one person. But rings throughout history have been used in other ways—pressed into a wax seal to show authority, held out on the hand of a bishop or pope to be kissed, or even used to identify the body of a noble.
Rings have inspired many people to write stories. You'll note the ring on the cover of my novel Still Rock Water, one click away from Amazon. In the story, the ancient star moonstone ring originating from the last God's Wife of Amun, a priestess in an ancient Egyptian belief. The asterism in the moonstone imparts telepathic powers in the form of visions to a very human woman living in our times.
But back to reality. Despite objections from several groups, a 41.2g jeweled golden ring which once belonged to Tipu Sultan, an 18th Century Indian ruler, was sold for £145,000 by Christie's auction house.
Rings have inspired many people to write stories. You'll note the ring on the cover of my novel Still Rock Water, one click away from Amazon. In the story, the ancient star moonstone ring originating from the last God's Wife of Amun, a priestess in an ancient Egyptian belief. The asterism in the moonstone imparts telepathic powers in the form of visions to a very human woman living in our times.
But back to reality. Despite objections from several groups, a 41.2g jeweled golden ring which once belonged to Tipu Sultan, an 18th Century Indian ruler, was sold for £145,000 by Christie's auction house.
The Tipu Sultan United Front urged Indian authorities to do all they could to prevent the ring from being sold. Also, Professor S. Settar from India's National Institute of Advanced Studies urged the Indian government to "make use of all available avenues, legal and diplomatic, to recover the ring".
The Muslim king's ring was inscribed with the name of a Hindu God Ram (Rama) in raised Devenagri script. Rama, in the words of Swami Vivekananda, is "the embodiment of truth, of morality, the ideal son, the ideal husband, and above all, the ideal king.” By his act of wearing the ring, Tipu Sultan could have shown more sympathy toward Hindus than previously thought.
The Muslim king's ring was inscribed with the name of a Hindu God Ram (Rama) in raised Devenagri script. Rama, in the words of Swami Vivekananda, is "the embodiment of truth, of morality, the ideal son, the ideal husband, and above all, the ideal king.” By his act of wearing the ring, Tipu Sultan could have shown more sympathy toward Hindus than previously thought.
Also known as the Tiger of Mysore, Tipu Sultan ruled the state for 17 years after he succeeded his father, Hyder Ali. Tipu Sultan fought against British rule in India. The ring is thought to have been taken from his body by a British general at the end of the 1799 Srirangappattinam battle.
Looting is frowned on in modern times, but sell the plunder, albeit passed on through family or private arrangement, seems amoral.
Tipu Sultan's ring still retained the power to incite protests about its sale. Perhaps it should have returned to India. But that raises the question of where the king obtained the ring. Did he take it from a Hindu ruler?
It does little good to insist that artifacts return to their original country. Every nationality owns objects produced in other cultures, old or new. Just like people, things move about and settle in one place. We all contain genes of many different races.
In the end, the sale of the ring depended on the resources of the highest bidder. The person in question remains anonymous.
Looting is frowned on in modern times, but sell the plunder, albeit passed on through family or private arrangement, seems amoral.
Tipu Sultan's ring still retained the power to incite protests about its sale. Perhaps it should have returned to India. But that raises the question of where the king obtained the ring. Did he take it from a Hindu ruler?
It does little good to insist that artifacts return to their original country. Every nationality owns objects produced in other cultures, old or new. Just like people, things move about and settle in one place. We all contain genes of many different races.
In the end, the sale of the ring depended on the resources of the highest bidder. The person in question remains anonymous.
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