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 5 - Scythian (Saka) elements in the Early Art of India
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External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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the first century A.D.1 The large, intricately carved stone plaques, called
鈥樐亂膩gapatas' have been understood as Jain votive tablets of homage, which
were produced in Mathura during the first century B.C. and first century A.D.
It is interesting that in the symbolic relief carving of the 膩y膩gapatas, we see
艢aka/Scythian elements and 艢aka/Parthian motifs. These motifs have
composite anthropomorphic and theriomorphic features. It seems that Parthian
art forms with its Iranian background had well mingled with the Saka/Scythian
nomadic animal art. The Saka/Scythian elements in later Indian art, from first
century A.D. onwards have been discussed in the next chapter.
鹿B. A. Litvinsky, 鈥楢ncient Tajikistan', Anc. Civ. Scy. Sib., Vol. 1, p.301,Fig.5.
