The Taj Mahal’s inlay work uses 28 different types of precious and semi-precious stones. These stones were fitted into white marble to create the floral, geometric and calligraphic decoration known as pietra dura.
The materials came from a remarkably wide trading network. Jasper was obtained from the Punjab, jade and crystal from China, turquoise from Tibet, lapis lazuli from Afghanistan, sapphire from Sri Lanka and carnelian from Arabia. Their varied colours allowed Mughal artisans to represent flowers, leaves, vines and other designs without relying only on paint or carved relief.
The technique required careful cutting and polishing: small stone pieces were shaped to fit precisely into channels cut in the marble. The result is decorative but also durable, which is why much of the work remains vivid centuries later. The Taj Mahal’s marble surfaces combine these inlays with low-relief carving and Quranic calligraphy. The number refers to the types of stones recorded in descriptions of the inlay work, not to the total number of individual pieces, which is vastly larger. This is also why “28” should not be confused with the monument’s many marble panels or decorative motifs.