Two Mughal cuerda seca tiles, Kashmir or Lahore, 17th century

each of square form decorated in yellow, green, brown, manganese and turquoise, outlined in black with a floriated cartouche with palmette terminals and architectural features, enclosing a spray issuing flowers, buds and leaves

The use of turquoise in a Mughal cuerda seca tile is very unusual and recalls the turquoise found on Safavid tiles of the same period.  It is likely that Lahore was one of the principal centres of Mughal cuerda seca tile manufacture but tiles were also probably made locally for monuments in Kashmir. A group of cuerda seca tiles of similar colour and design are illustrated in Guy and Swallow Art of India, 1990, p.88, pl.65.