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| Capital pf the old pillar, Pataliputra /en.wikipedia.org |
Above image: Front and the back views of the Pataliputra capital (drawing). The back has a few broken portions (top right corner), and a slightly less detailed and slightly coarser design. Discovered in the area of Bulandi Bagh in Patna City (now part of Bihar). The artifact is now preserved in the Patna Museum..............
Discovered in 1895 by archaeologist L.A. Waddell at the royal palace site in Pataliputra (modern-day Patna), is a remarkable rectangular artifact that reflects the rich cultural exchanges during the Mauryan Empire. Dated to the 3rd century BCE, it likely belongs to the reign of Chandragupta Maurya, Bindusara, or Ashoka, who were instrumental in shaping early Indian polity and fostering interactions with the Hellenistic world. The Indo-Greeks again possibly had a very direct presence in Pataliputra about a century later, circa 185 BCE, when they may have captured the city, although briefly, from the Sungas after the fall of the Maurya Empire.
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| large Maurya Empire, Indian subcontinent, pinrest.com |
Above image. The Maurya Empire was found by Chandragupta Maurya in 322 BCE with Pataliputra as capital. It is one of the pldest and continuously functional cities in the world.
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| Pataliputra capital, Patna Museum, India, alamy.com |
The capital, made of unpolished buff sandstone, measures 49 inches (1.2 meters) in length and 33.5 inches (0.85 meters) in height, weighing approximately 1,800 lbs (900 kg). It was found buried 12 feet deep, near an ancient wall and brick pavement, indicating its original architectural significance.
The capital’s design showcases a sophisticated interplay of local and foreign artistic styles. It features decorative bands including rows of rosettes, bead and reel moldings, wave scrolls, and an egg-and-dart pattern, topped by a central flame palmette motif growing among pebbles. Dstinctly Hellenistic in origin, these unique elements show a close resemblance to Greek and Near Eastern designs, particularly those from Ai-Khanoum in present-day Afghanistan.
The highlight is the flame palmette motif, the wave-like scrolls, and the detailed volutes with central rosettes reflect a strong infusion of Hellenistic aesthetics into Indian craftsmanship. The front of the capital is intricately detailed, while the back is comparatively simpler, suggesting it was designed to prioritize frontal visibility.
The presence of such motifs highlights the influence of the Seleucid Empire and the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom on Mauryan art. This exchange likely resulted from diplomatic ties, as evidenced by the accounts of Greek envoys like Megasthenes, who visited the Mauryan court. The artistic elements of the capital exemplify how external influences were harmonized with indigenous traditions, creating a unique style that would later influence Indian art and architecture.
The Pataliputra capital holds immense historical significance in the Indian subcontinent, symbolizing an era of cultural syncretism and the Mauryan Empire’s openness to artistic and intellectual currents from the West. It underscores the dynamic interactions between ancient India and the Hellenistic world, marking a transformative period in the region's artistic and cultural evolution.
The Archaeological Survey of India, central Govt agency that looks after conservation and preservation of monuments across India describes the 3rd BCE artifact as "a colossal capital in the Hellenistic style".
https://www.navrangindia.in/2016/01/pataliputra-one-of-oldest-continuously.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pataliputra_capital
https://earlyworldhistory.blogspot.com/2012/02/pataliputra.html
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