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
58 (of 115)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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102
on bodies of animals was also common on the eastern steppes not only in
wood carving but also in gold work found from the Issyk kurgan.鹿
Filippovka was well situated to control both east-west travel along the
steppes and the north-south routes, to the gold mines of the Urals and the
Altai or through central Asia to the fringes of the Achaemenid empire.2
Various gold attachments for wooden vessels have been found. In pit 2 of
kurgan 1, four different types of hammered gold plaques in the so-called
animal style were found. Hammering the metal over a wooden form
produced them. Weapons include a sword inlaid with gold (Plate 66),鲁 a
dagger like the typical akinakes (Plate 67), 4 and whetstone (Plate 68).5 The
horse trappings include a gold buckle (Plate 69) 6 and gold bridle
decorations in the form of griffins or griffins' heads (Plates 70,71 and 72).7
Two bronze roundels depicting a combat between two camels (Plate 73)8
were perhaps ornaments for a horse's chest collar. There are only few
garment plaques and jewellery.
{ Ibid., p.7.
2 Ibid., p.8.
Ibid., p.80,P1.5.
* Ibid., Pl.6.
5 Ibid., Pl.7.
6 Ibid.,Pl.8.
7 Ibid., Pls.9,10,11.
8 Ibid., Pl. 13.
