The Development of Hindu Iconography c7.33

c7.33

Comparative paucity of extant images of the pre-Christian and early post-Christian periods, explained by the ancient practice of using perishable materials like wood, clay, etc. in image-making, 203-04; Chapter 58 (Vanasampraveśādhyāya) of the Bṛhat-saṃhitā on the use of wood for this purpose, 204-06; evidence of such texts as the Bhaviṣya-, Viṣṇudharmottara-, and Matsya-Purāṇas, and other texts on the same topic, 206-08; classifications of images, on the basis of materials (seven different kinds) out of which they were made, in texts like the Matsya-purāṇa, Hayaśīrṣa Pañcarātra, Śukranītisāra, Samarāṅgaṇa-Sūtradhara and others, 208-11; stone, though used for this purpose from an early date, much less frequent in use than wood and clay, 211-12.