This beautifully shaped paperweight made of stone is square and belongs to Odisha's Santal tribe, renowned for its arts and culture. Made of stone with simplicity and understated elegance, the form is accompanied by a well-designed floral motif carved in relief on the dorsal (top) surface, embellishing it aesthetically and indicating the tribe's strong connection to nature. The ventral (bottom) surface is smooth, which helps the paperweight settle evenly on any surface.

Such crafts are also part of the heritage of the Santal tribe which has survived through generations with farming and forests as its mainstay of income. Inheritances like these paperweights are representative of their material culture, in which even utility items are manipulated very artistically with a profound sense of purpose.

Santal artistic expression and ritual activity build on the centrality of flower symbols used to represent concepts of fecundity, natural abundance, and harmony with the planet. Not large, this paperweight exemplifies the people’s skill in carving and design, thereby joining the journey of form and function with artistic expression. Likely made by traditional techniques of chiseling and polishing among the indigenous peoples and sustainable use of local resources, reflecting their knowledge systems.

These things now become something that is treasured by the entire society, museums and cultural displays cannot exclude this kinship as a part of India's tribal legacy.
Indian Museum, Kolkata. Ethnographic Collection – Santal Tribe, Odisha.