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
79 (of 115)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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123
griffins were depicted in the Altai during the sixth century B.C.鹿 This
object, laterally pieced through the base, may have been a horse's bridle
ornament. Similar carved wooden objects have been found by Polosmak in
more recently (1991) excavated graves in the Altai Mountains.2 The pieces
seem to be abbreviated variations of the monstrous stag figures that
decorate the belt of a person buried in the Issyk kurgan in eastern
Kazakhastan. From the same grave (Tuekta) a bridle ornament (Plate 90) in
the form of a head combining the features of a predator, a camel, and a
griffin has been found.3 The upper jaw is like a bird's beak. Similar
composite creatures (Plate 91) are found from Filippovka. An unique bridle
ornament consisting of the full-face head of a tiger (Plate 92) from Tuekta
shows a new style in crafting the larch tiger.5 The vertical wood grain is
slightly incised to create strips down the head and the body is made in the
form of two addorsed profile heads of predatory bird's or griffins. The
ferocity of the tiger and the bird's of prey may have served an apotropaic
function for the rider. The technique of joining two bodies as found in the
Scythian art of the western section (Kul-oba) is also in use in the eastern
nomadic art. A similar plaque consisting of two elk-heads in relief is found
1 Ibid., p.254.
2 Ibid., p.254.
鲁 Ibid., Pl. 178.
4 Ibid., Pl.67.
$ Ibid., Pl. 180.
