Indian Antiquary Vol 60

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, S Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarka
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 171

August, 1931 ]
SOME INDIAN TERRACOTTA TIGURINES
143
Teasonably, regarded as being the forerunners of the sculpture of the Early Period, intervening between it and the work of the Mauryan period, which, as has been pointed out, is known to us only by means of the pillar capitals. The little female head which is catalogued 28: "Head and shoulders of a human figure standing under a flowering tree. Found B. 42 c. 2, 16' B' deep ; No. 518," is of the greatest importance. 10 Its actual context is not given in the report, but the depth at which it was found is extreme for the site. Salmony 11 points out that the alleged tree is really part of a complicated flowered head-dress; the moulded face and body, with its complex textile pattern corresponds closely with Fig. B, and it will be noted that the "Powers" of the head-dress are formed by impressed circles. No details of fabric are available. No. 409 of the catalogue is a figure of the same type, also moulded, but from a very much more complicated-mould, the design being very naturalistically manipulated. The impression seems to have been taken and left untouched, all the details being in the mould. It was found at a depth of fifteen feet (B. 40 a).
A second group of figurines from this site are obviously of importance, though, unfortunately, they have been left unillustrated. In Z. 11, at a depth of five feet, Nos. 717 and 747, were found, and are described as figurines of coarse workmanship, the eyes being represented by circles. These oocurred at the same level as a seal which is ascribed palæographically to the fourth century, though with what definite standard of comparison it is not stated. The terracottas found above this stratum are clearly fifth-sixth century. At the same depth in X. 16 were found Nos. 693 and 742, which are said to be of the same type, as also are said to be Nos. 641 and 642 from W. 17, depth 3' 6'. In the latter area, &" Mauryan" seal, ascribed more definitely to third-first century B.O., was also found at a depth of 6'3", but, it is said, out of oontext. The alleged Sunga (so0ond oentury B.C.) terracottas of fine fabric, here ascribed to the late first century B.C., were found in V. 19 and V. 21 at a depth of four to six feet.
IV. Gupta fifth and sixth century terracottas are well represented. They have been found at Basarh in context with fifth oentury seals (A.S.R., 1903-04, Plate XXXIX), at Besnagar (A.S.R., 1913-14, Plates LVIII and LIX), and in large quantities at Bhita (A.S.R., 1911-12, Plates XXV to XXVII). The actual fabric is seldom very fine, and according to the Survey Reports a red slip or paint is very commonly used as a surface finish. It is impossible to comment on these figurines as illustrated in the Survey Reports. It is evident that they follow the stone sculptures closely and are in fact often iconographical. In other words, they fall into knowntypes and cannot easily be confused with earlier work. At Bhita (Plate XXIII), the Survey classification, which seems to be based on what is, unfortunately, a very confused classification of the pottery, allocates & few figurines to the “Sunga-Andhra " and Kushån periods. 13 Those illustrated would seem to be all crude examples of Gupta work.
Recently a large group of terracotta figurines appeared on the market, eventually finding their way into various museums. These Coomaraswamy compared to the terracottas of the so-called Indo-Sumerian culture of Harappa and Mohenjo Daro, 4000-3000 B.C.13 Certain of them are very primitive, in the sense that they are very crude. Coomaraswamy points out that his Fig. I wears the crossed garland, channavira, but he does not say that this ornament is essentially Indian and iconographical, and therefore does not hesitate to date the figure and millenium B.C., under the title " Indo-Sumerian."1. It must be noted,
• Certain of the colossal Yakshas have the bright polish of the Aboka pillars 10 Plate XLV S.
11 Loc. cit., p. 100. 19 Man., 1929, No. 101. The Early Period terracotta plaque, Fig. 17 of Plate XXIII, is, of course, excepted. As also Figs. 29 and 31, animals' boods, which show the appliqué technique, and Fig. 40 hereafter to be discussed. Figs. 34 and 35 are late Gupta (sixth century).
13 Cortain of these, which represent grotesque masks and women in odrls, and are of a light-red fabric, can only be regarded as modern.
1. Boston Mw. of Fine Arts Bulletin, Dec. 1927.