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
68 (of 115)
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and other birds of prey carved out of gold leaf are widely represented and
they were attached to a headdress. Belt of garments had various belt-clasps
of bronze or iron covered with gold leaf and "butterfly"-shaped plaques鹿
were found. These plaques are similar to those found in Altai, Tillya-tepe,
the Minusinsk basin and the Baikal region dated in the fifth to fourth
centuries B.C. Kosh-Pej 2 has images of ibexes and boars carved out of gold
leaf.
In the burials of Suglug-khem dated in the second century B.C.,
typical Saka/Scythian bronze buckles and belt decorations (Plate 82) were
found.2 The garments of a noble warrior from the same burial, decorated
with more than a hundred golden figurines, 鲁 were found. The belt was
inlaid with gold leaf, decorated with twenty cowrie shells which were also
covered with gold leaf. In three of the female burials of Suglug-Khem high
caps were found along with gold earrings, wooden combs, gold pins, gold
torques, bronze cauldrons and mirrors, some of which having zoomorphic
side-handles (one representing an ibex) (Plate 83).4 L. R. Kyzlasov thought
that the barrow of Suglug-Khem was erected by the Sakas coming from
1 Ibid., p.327.
2 Ibid., p.332,Fig.18.
3 Ibid., p.333.
* Ibid., p.331, Fig.17.
