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—a 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
8 (of 42)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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209
Gondophares.¹ Again, it is to be noted that trade between upper
Mesopotamia and North-West India, both overland and by way of Mesene
and the Persian Gulf was frequent during the first century A.D.2
Taxila and its surrounding sites have yielded utility objects,
ornaments, weapons, coins and horse-trappings, dated in the middle of the
first century A.D. onwards. Most of them betray the Saka/Scythian, Śaka-
Pahlava or Scytho-Parthian styles. The style of these objects can hardly be
distinguished as belonging prior to the first century A.D. or after the first
century A.D. The Taxila valley had access to diverse kinds of raw materials
from regions as far removed as Mirzapur and Mathurā.
C. EAST OF THE NORTH – WESTERN PART OF INDIA
The region east of the north-western part of India was noted for the
extensive working of iron in the neighbourhood of Sof, east of Achabal. It is
noteworthy that the Periplus informs us that during the first century A.D.
2 ¹ Ibid., p.399.
G. Huxley, ‘Geography in the Acts of Thomas', Greek, Roman and Byzantine
Studies, 24, 1983, p.75.
