Bharhut Sculptures

INDIA, Madhya Pradesh, Bharhut

These sculptures from the former stupa at Bharhut are some of the earliest examples of Indian art. King Asoka (reigned circa 269–232 BCE) built the original stupa and additions were made during the succeeding Sunga period (circa 185–75 BCE). The sculptures adorn the stone gateways, and railings about the stupa are carved with figures, animals, and symbols.
The carving is shallow, almost two-dimensional. Flat planes are filled with stiffly posed figures, about which the precise detailing of the ornamentation suggests an adaptation in stone of an earlier tradition in wood. The composite approach to narration is employed; therefore, some resourcefulness is needed in the placement of elements to make the story coherent. An unusual feature is the inclusion of Brahmi text in the narrative panels, to identify individuals, events, and places. Inscriptions on the railing tell that artists from across northwest India were employed at the site.
The railing medallion illustrated here features a hybrid water beast known as a makara. This makara, of no fixed iconographic form, is a combination of elephant, crocodile, and fish. It illustrates how, even at an early date, figures from Indian mythology were being incorporated into Buddhist sculpture. The makara accompanied Buddhism on its journey east and versions of it are found in Central Asian and Far East Asian art.