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 6 - Scythian (Saka) elements in the Later Art of India
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wooden livestock amulets,鹿 bells, simple everyday objects, and tools, like a
drumstick, a catapult, a spindle, and a hammer. These are decorated by the
carvers as if in homage to the Saka/Scythian art of the eighth century B.C.
to the fourth century A.D. The small selection of medicine spoons虏 from Swat
are impressive evidences (Plate 225) that such items need not be boring; the
individuality and creativity in the treatments of the handles is notable.
Large wooden ladles, with floral and geometric decorations, 鲁 also
reflect the nomadic style. Ornaments like wrought silver neck rings with
engraved and punched geometric decorations, earrings, arm-rings from Swat
reveal the Saka/Scythian elements. The component parts of pectoral
ornaments (Plate 226)4 found from the Swat valley echo the Saka/Scythian
elements.
Thus, these objects and tools were decorated by the carvers with the
imagery of the 艢aka/Scythian art of the eighth century B.C. to the fourth
century A.D. The treatment of the individual tools, and their handles are an
I
Johannes Kalter, The Arts and Crafts of the Swat Valley. Living Traditions in the
Hindu Kush, Thames and Hudson, 1991, p. 12, Fig.7.
2 Ibid., p.13, Fig. 9.
3 Ibid., p. 12, Fig. 6.
4 * Ibid., p. 102.
