Image title: Evolution of Terracotta Art

Evolution of Terracotta Art: From Mauryans to Satavahanas—Terracotta has been the medium for art since the Harappan civilization. But the techniques used differed in each time period. In the Mauryan times, they were mainly figures of mother goddesses, indicating a fertility cult. Moulds were used for the face, whereas the body was hand-modelled. In the Shungan times, a single mould was used to make the entire figure and depending upon the baking time, the colour differed from red to light orange. The Satavahanas used two different moulds-one for the front and the other for the back and kept a piece of clay in each mould and joined them together, making some artefacts hollow from within. Some Satavahana terracotta artefacts also seem to have a thin strip of clay joining the two moulds. This technique may have been imported from the Romans and is seen nowhere else in the country.

Transcription (not proofread):

मृण्मूर्ति कला का विकास मौर्य काल से सातवाहन काल तक—हड़प्पा सभ्यता से ही मिट्टी कलात्मक अभिव्यक्ति का माध्यम रही है। किन्तु प्रत्येक काल में प्रयुक्त तकनीकों में भिन्नता थी। मौर्य काल में मुख्यतः मातृदेवी की मृण्मूर्तियां बनाई गई जो उर्वरता की प्रतीक थीं। मुखाकृति बनाने के लिए सांचे का प्रयोग किया जाता था जबकि काया का प्रतिरूपण हाथ से ही किया जाता था। शुंग काल में संपूर्ण प्रतिमा को बनाने के लिए एक ही सांचे का प्रयोग किया जाता था और आग में पकाने में लगने वाले समय के आधार पर प्रतिमाओं पर लाल या हल्का नारंगी रंग किया जाता था। सातवाहन काल के मूर्तिकारों द्वारा दो सांचों का प्रयोग किया जाता था एक सांचा अग्र भाग के लिए तथा दूसरा सांच पृष्ठ भाग के लिए। इन दोनों सांचों को आपस में जोड़ने के लिए बीच में मिट्टी का बेला लगा दिया जाता था। इस तकनीक से कुछ प्रतिमाओं को बीच में से खोखला भी बनाया जा सकता था। सातवाहन काल की कुछ प्रतिमाओं में दोनों सांचों को मिट्टी की पतली पट्टी से भी जोड़ा गया है। संभवतः यह तकनीक रोमनों से ली गई थी। देश में अन्यत्र इस प्रकार की तकनीक देखने को नहीं मिलती।

Transcription (not proofread):

mṛṇmūrti kalā kā vikāsa maurya kāla se sātavāhana kāla taka—harappā sabhyatā se hī miṭṭī kalātmaka abhivyakti kā mādhyama rahī hai| kintu pratyeka kāla meṃ prayukta takanīkoṃ meṃ bhinnatā thī| maurya kāla meṃ mukhyataḥ mātṛdevī kī mṛṇmūrtiyāṃ banāī gaī jo urvaratā kī pratīka thīṃ| mukhākṛti banāne ke lie sāṃce kā prayoga kiyā jātā thā jabaki kāyā kā pratirūpaṇa hātha se hī kiyā jātā thā| śuṃga kāla meṃ saṃpūrṇa pratimā ko banāne ke lie eka hī sāṃce kā prayoga kiyā jātā thā aura āga meṃ pakāne meṃ lagane vāle samaya ke ādhāra para pratimāoṃ para lāla yā halkā nāraṃgī raṃga kiyā jātā thā| sātavāhana kāla ke mūrtikāroṃ dvārā do sāṃcoṃ kā prayoga kiyā jātā thā eka sāṃcā agra bhāga ke lie tathā dūsarā sāṃca pṛṣṭha bhāga ke lie| ina donoṃ sāṃcoṃ ko āpasa meṃ jorane ke lie bīca meṃ miṭṭī kā belā lagā diyā jātā thā| isa takanīka se kucha pratimāoṃ ko bīca meṃ se khokhalā bhī banāyā jā sakatā thā| sātavāhana kāla kī kucha pratimāoṃ meṃ donoṃ sāṃcoṃ ko miṭṭī kī patalī paṭṭī se bhī jorā gayā hai| saṃbhavataḥ yaha takanīka romanoṃ se lī gaī thī| deśa meṃ anyatra isa prakāra kī takanīka dekhane ko nahīṃ milatī|

Transcription (not proofread):

mrinmurti kala ka vikasa maurya kala se satavahana kala taka—harappa sabhyata se hi mitti kalatmaka abhivyakti ka madhyama rahi hai| kintu pratyeka kala mem prayukta takanikom mem bhinnata thi| maurya kala mem mukhyatah matridevi ki mrinmurtiyam banai gai jo urvarata ki pratika thim| mukhakriti banane ke lie samce ka prayoga kiya jata tha jabaki kaya ka pratirupana hatha se hi kiya jata tha| shumga kala mem sampurna pratima ko banane ke lie eka hi samce ka prayoga kiya jata tha aura aga mem pakane mem lagane vale samaya ke adhara para pratimaom para lala ya halka naramgi ramga kiya jata tha| satavahana kala ke murtikarom dvara do samcom ka prayoga kiya jata tha eka samca agra bhaga ke lie tatha dusara samca prishtha bhaga ke lie| ina donom samcom ko apasa mem jorane ke lie bica mem mitti ka bela laga diya jata tha| isa takanika se kucha pratimaom ko bica mem se khokhala bhi banaya ja sakata tha| satavahana kala ki kucha pratimaom mem donom samcom ko mitti ki patali patti se bhi jora gaya hai| sambhavatah yaha takanika romanom se li gai thi| desha mem anyatra isa prakara ki takanika dekhane ko nahim milati|

Automated translation (not verified):

Development of clay sculpture art from Mauryan period to Satvahana period—Clay has been a medium of artistic expression since the Harappan civilization. But the techniques used in each period were different. In the Mauryan period, clay statues of Mother Goddess were mainly made which were a symbol of fertility. Molds were used to make the face while the body was modeled by hand. In the Shunga period, a single mold was used to make the entire statue and depending on the time taken to bake it in fire, the statues were painted red or light orange. The sculptors of the Satvahana period used two molds, one mold for the front part and the other for the back part. To join these two molds, a ball of clay was placed in the middle. With this technique, some statues could also be made hollow from the middle. In some statues of the Satvahana period, both the molds have also been joined by a thin strip of clay. Probably this technique was taken from the Romans. This type of technology is not seen anywhere else in the country.

Gallery information:

These photographs are from the section “Maurya, Shunga and Satavahana Arts” within the National Museum of New Delhi (India). The Mauryan, Shunga, and Satavahana dynasties have distinct yet interconnected roles in the evolution of Indian art and culture. Throughout these periods, terracotta art evolved considerably, reflecting cultural and technical exchanges, and iconography transitioned from aniconic to anthropomorphic depictions in Buddhist contexts. These dynasties collectively influenced the stylistic and thematic growth of Indian art.