South Indian Bronzes: A Historical Survey of South Indian Sculpture with Iconographical Notes Based on Original Sources c9.3

c9.3

One of the earliest available evidences of Saivaite sculpture is a reference in the third century A.D. by Poryphyry¹ to an image in a cave in the north of India which from the description corresponds to the form of *Ardha-Nārīswara*. The image of *Ardha-Nārīswara* has been found in many caves in the Deccan, all of which date after the sixth century A.D. The earliest literary evidence as to the existence of Saivaite images is perhaps the reference in Panini (4th Century B.C.) and the commentary of Patanjali (2nd Century B.C.). The earliest image of *Natarāja* or *Siva Tandava* is found at Badami (Bombay Presidency) known formerly as Bātāpipura, the ancient capital of the Chālukyas.