[INDOLOGY] Was A?oka an iconoclast?

[Shaw, Julia]

ps

There is evident overlap here with the banned hilltop festivals (gir-agga-samajjan) mentioned in Aṅguttara Nikāya II. 550, and Asoka’s edicts nos. 1 and 9.  For linkages with yakṣas caitya in relation to topographical and cultic patterns in Sanchi's wider archaeological landscape, see Shaw 2007, 141-2.  The following may also be helpful: Hardy, E. 1903. ’Ueber den upsprung des samajja’, in Album Kern: opstellen geschreven ter eere Van H.K. Kern hem aangeboden. Leiden: E. J. Brill, 61-6.



Dr Julia Shaw

Lecturer in South Asian Archaeology

Institute of Archaeology UCL

31-34 Gordon Square

London WC1H 0PY



http://www.ucl.ac.uk/archaeology/people/staff/shaw


________________________________
From: Shaw, Julia
Sent: 27 May 2017 21:28
To: indology at list.indology.info
Cc: Artur Karp
Subject: Was A?oka an iconoclast?


I suggest you have a look at the material on the Vasudeva - Samkarsana iconography within the pancaratra system of 3rd - 2nd century BC.   This covers also some early Naga imagery, the earliest being aligned with Balarama iconography. Independent naga images are somewhat later. Some of the yaksas and yaksi sculptures are arguably Mauryan, certainly post-Mauryan (sorry for lack of diacritics... writing this on my phone).

My 2004 Artibus Asiae  article (updated in my 2007 book, Buddhist Landscapes in Central India, British Academy) provides detailed discussion and bibliography for the above.

https://www.academia.edu/6618122/Naga_sculptures_in_Sanchi_s_archaeological_landscape_Buddhism_Vaisnavism_and_local_agricultural_cults_in_central_India_first_century_BCE_to_fifth_century_CE_2004_

[http://a.academia-assets.com/images/open-graph-icons/fb-paper.gif]<https://www.academia.edu/6618122/Naga_sculptures_in_Sanchi_s_archaeological_landscape_Buddhism_Vaisnavism_and_local_agricultural_cults_in_central_India_first_century_BCE_to_fifth_century_CE_2004_>

Naga sculptures in Sanchi’s archaeological landscape: Buddhism, Vaisnavism and local agricultural cults in central India, first century BCE to fifth century CE (2004)<https://www.academia.edu/6618122/Naga_sculptures_in_Sanchi_s_archaeological_landscape_Buddhism_Vaisnavism_and_local_agricultural_cults_in_central_India_first_century_BCE_to_fifth_century_CE_2004_>
www.academia.edu
Naga sculptures in Sanchi’s archaeological landscape: Buddhism, Vaisnavism and local agricultural cults in central India, first century BCE to fifth century CE (2004)




And of course there is the enormous assemblage of terracotta deities, as studied recently for example by Naman Ahuja, not to mention the even larger and more poorly understood iconographies embodied in early Indian rock art (see Neumayer for example).


Best wishes

Julia




Dr Julia Shaw

Lecturer in South Asian Archaeology

Institute of Archaeology UCL

31-34 Gordon Square

London WC1H 0PY



http://www.ucl.ac.uk/archaeology/people/staff/shaw


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