Essay name: Scythian Elements in early Indian Art
Author:
Swati Ray
Affiliation: University of Calcutta / Department of Ancient Indian History and Culture
This essay studies Scythian Elements in early Indian Art鈥攁 topic that has not garnered extensive scholarly attention. Although much research has focused on various aspects of Saka/Scythian culture, such as politics and numismatics, their contribution to Indian art remains underexplored. This essay delves into archaeological evidence, historical texts, and art forms from Eurasian steppes to decipher the Scythian impact.
Chapter 4 - Scythian / Saka Art
52 (of 115)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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fifth century B.C., of using gold plaques to so ornament a garment as to
acquire the appearance of gold cloth. Evidences are also found at Tillya-
tepe. Plaques representing spread-winged birds (late seventh-early sixth
century B.C.) were found from Litoy (Plate 44).鹿 Seven Brothers 2 (mid-fifth
century B.C.) yielded plaques showing representations of recumbent
ibexes, crouching sphinxes, back-turned roosters, Silenus heads, ram's
and bull's heads, owls, flying boars with palmette bodies, Janus head with
a helmeted warrior on one side and a lion's face on the other, youth
kneeling and rampant lions. Solokha has yielded the important plaque
(Plate 45) showing two Scythians kneeling and drinking from a rhyton
within a squared frame (fourth century B.C.).2 Kul Oba plaques have
representations of two Scythians drinking from a single rhyton (Plate 46),鲁
two Scythians standing back to back with drawn bows, and various animal
motifs. Bolshaya Bliznitsa (fourth century B.C.) plaques (Plates 47 and 48)
show various forms.4 There are plaques in the shape of dancing women in
long robes and nude youths, plaques in the shape of women on animals
(Plate 49), similar to several images from the Tillya-tepe burials, 5 a robed
woman on a panther and others.
鹿 Scy. Art., Pl. 19.
2 Ibid., Pl. 142.
3 Ibid.,Pl. 196.
4 Ibid.,Pls.208,209.
S
Bac.Gol.,Pl.78.
