Treasury of the World

TREASURY OF THE WORLD: JEWELLED ARTS OF INDIA IN THE AGE OF THE MUGHALS’, 11 FEBRUARY 2010, AT THE ASIAN CIVILISATIONS MUSEUM

It is a major milestone in a long standing relationship between Kuwait and Singapore. Cross-cultural interactions have long been a part of Asia’s history. Merchants from Arabia, Persia and other parts of the Middle East came to Asia to trade spices, porcelain and silk. In fact, Kuwaitis were among the earliest from the Gulf region to travel to Southeast Asia and Singapore. During the 1880s – not long after the time of the Mughals – Kuwaiti traders set sail to Southeast Asia, and some eventually settled in Singapore and have lived here for many generations.

Today, our exchange is in ideas, business, innovation and, of course, culture. This exhibition of Treasury of the World would not have been possible without the generosity of Sheikh Nasser Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah and his wife Sheikha Hussah Sabah al-Salim al-Sabah from the Kuwaiti royal family. In this exhibition, you will see not just magnificent artefacts, but the enthusiasm and personal involvement of the owners of these Mughal treasures.