Art and architecture during the mauryan period. Cave Architecture of Mauryan Empire 2022-12-28

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The Mauryan period, which lasted from 322 BCE to 185 BCE, was a time of great cultural and artistic achievement in ancient India. The Mauryan Empire, which was the first empire to unify most of the Indian subcontinent under one ruler, was a time of prosperity and cultural exchange. As a result, the art and architecture of the Mauryan period was highly diverse and influenced by a variety of styles and traditions.

One of the most famous examples of Mauryan art is the Great Stupa at Sanchi, which was built by the Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BCE. The Great Stupa is a large, dome-shaped structure that was used as a place of Buddhist worship. It is decorated with intricate carvings and sculptures, many of which depict scenes from the life of the Buddha. The Great Stupa is an excellent example of the Mauryan style of architecture, which was characterized by its use of stone and the construction of large, monumental buildings.

Another important example of Mauryan art and architecture is the rock-cut cave temples at Ajanta and Ellora. These temples were carved out of solid rock and are decorated with sculptures and frescoes that depict Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain religious themes. The Ajanta and Ellora cave temples are notable for their intricate detailing and the skill of their craftsmanship.

In addition to these examples of Mauryan art and architecture, the Mauryan period also saw the development of other forms of art, such as sculpture and painting. Sculptures from this period depict a wide range of subjects, including religious figures, animals, and everyday life. Many of these sculptures were made of stone, while others were made of metal or other materials.

Overall, the art and architecture of the Mauryan period reflects the diversity and prosperity of the empire during this time. The Mauryan Empire was a melting pot of different cultures and traditions, and this is reflected in the art and architecture of the period. From the monumental Great Stupa at Sanchi to the intricate cave temples at Ajanta and Ellora, the Mauryan period was a time of great artistic achievement in ancient India.

Know About Mauryan Art And Architecture

art and architecture during the mauryan period

From very early times the construction of temples, palaces, rest houses and other civil construction was undertaken by professional architects known as Sthapati. Stupa and Chaitya: Buddhism and Jainism were two religious beliefs that were massively spreading during this period. Being one of the finest examples of Mauryan sculpture and built by Ashoka in commemoration of Dhammachakrapravartanan or we can say first sermon of Buddha. It has 24 spokes and these 24 spoke chakra is adopted to the National Flag of India. These Chakravati are symbols of the power of Emperor Ashoka.


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Mauryan Architecture

art and architecture during the mauryan period

The Barabar and Nagarjuni hills contain several caves that were inhabited by ascetics in ancient times. Stupas The tradition of making stupas- originally funerary mounds is pre-Buddhist. The shaft is a monolith column made of one piece of stone with exquisite polish. At both ends of the frieze is a makara a mythical crocodile. The most common symbols are the elephant, the tree in railing symbol and the mountain. Stone Sculptures Several large stone sculptures have been found at various sites in and around Patna, Mathura and other places.

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Cave Architecture of Mauryan Empire

art and architecture during the mauryan period

In which holes were made to shoot arrows at the enemy army. Sarnath Pillar Among these pillars, the lion-head of the pillar of Sarnath is the best. The hills of Barabar caves were donated by Ashoka to Ajivika monks and three separate caves at Nagarjuni hills were by Dasharatha to them. The Raj-Gopurams or main roofs of such temples rise to a height of nearly 90 to 100 ft. Harmika means abode of the gods. However, after decline of that civilisation, there is a long gap and it is only in the Maurya period that monumental stone sculpture and architecture appeared on the scene again.

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Mauryan Art and Architecture

art and architecture during the mauryan period

The figures of different animals like swan, lion, elephant, bull etc. The abacus lies on the inverted designed lotus shape in some pillars. That is why we do not get those things today. Pottery and Cave Art: Pottery found from the Mauryan era was mainly from places in northern India, like Patliputra. They occur at sites such as Patna, Taxila, Mathura, Kaushambi, Rajghat and Vaishali. Nagarjunakonda Ghantasala stupas built in later ages in South India. Magadha emerged as a powerful kingdom and consolidated its control over the other religions.

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Mauryan Art and Architecture

art and architecture during the mauryan period

Amaravati stupa had free-standing columns surmounted by lions near the gateways. It has been fittingly adopted as the emblem of the Modem Indian Republic. The value of stupa at sanchi and bull capital at sarnath depict the greatness and stand as testimony to this golden period of Indian history. It was surrounded by wooden fence and had entrances at the four cardinal points. But with the passage of time the stupa became an object of veneration and worship. The stupas of Nagarjunakonda were very large, having brick walls at the base forming wheel and spokes, which were filled with earth. The first pillar edict carries inscriptions related to protecting the people of the kingdom.

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Art & Culture Class 11 Fine Arts: Arts of the Mauryan Period: Rock cut architecture : UPSC Note on Art & Culture Class 11 Fine Arts: Arts of the Mauryan Period: Rock cut architecture

art and architecture during the mauryan period

According to them, the purpose of the craftsman behind this was to show them the descendants of Buddha. C , stupas were elaborately built with certain additions like the enclosing of the circumbulatory path with railings and sculptural decorations. Didargunj Yakshi was found at Didargunj village at Patna. It symbolizes the victory of Dharma over Shakti which is visible in the personalities of both Buddha and Ashoka. Examples: Lauria Nandangarh Pillar in Champaran, Sarnath Pillar near Varanasi, etc.

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NCERT Notes: Mauryan Empire: Art & Architecture [Ancient Indian History For UPSC]

art and architecture during the mauryan period

Cave architecture of The Barabar and Nagarjuni caves are lineal descendants of similar rock-hewn caves. Villages were divided for efficient governance. Emperor Ashoka is credited with the construction of 84 thousand stupas. The stupas of substantial domes were made of various sizes of brick or stone. Therefore, Mauryan rule marks an important phase in our cultural history. Pottery was also refined during this time period. The condition of the socio-religious status becomes more believable from the evidence of the architecture.


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Mauryan Art And Architecture

art and architecture during the mauryan period

There were many lakes in which different sizes and types of fish were reared. The metal garlands of Piprahwa Buddhist Stupa, the Yaksha statues of Patna, the torso of Jain Tirthankaras found from Lohanipur, etc. They had two main parts, the shaft and the capital. The Great Stupa at Sanchi was built with bricks during the time of Ashoka and later it was stone and many new additions were made. INDIAN ARCHITECTURAL TRADITION OVERSEAS Indian techniques of art and architecture spread both westwards and eastwards.

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Mauryan art

art and architecture during the mauryan period

Along with Buddhism, Indian art and architecture also traveled to countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Burma as also to China, Korea and Japan. It was in the shape of a parallelogram. In Maurya rimes, terracottas were produced on a large scale. These were made of silver and weighed around 3. The practice of building stupas dates back to the pre-Buddha period. The city was surrounded by a quadrangular wooden wall. .

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