India

The exhibition tells of the everyday life and culture of the peoples of India and neighbouring countries. The archaeological findings presented at it make it possible to look into the history of ancient Indian cultures, starting with the Paleolithic.

The central place is given to Indian textiles – cotton, silk and wool fabrics, examples of printed cloths and stamps for them, and brocades.

At the museum collections, clothes and decorations of the peoples of Indostan are represented quite fully.

Items made from metal draw attention: weapons and armour, vessels and utensils. They are distinguished by their subtle jewellery work, decorated with engraving, embossing, incrustations, enamel, and patterns in the technique of carved enamel.

The museum has one of the largest collections of carved wood. The screen, casket and book stand, table and other wood items are interesting both as works of art and as items which give an idea of the interior decoration of traditional Indian dwellings. Among the unique exhibits is a portico of the 18^th century from the palace of Marathi rules from the city of Nasik. There is a very rich collection of items of Indian religion, beautiful costumes and masks of Kathakali theatre actors.