Copper in Ancient India c9.s2: Ancient Specimens of Indian Bronze
Copper in Ancient India c9.s2
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Ancient Specimens of Indian Bronze
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As regards ancient archaeological specimens of bronze, India has nothing to boast of in comparison with the colossal bronze statue of Appollo in the Roman Palatine Library or the still more famous bronze colossus of Rhodes, one of the seven wonders of the world, though in iron India was unique.²
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² The sculptor of the Rhodes colossus which was a bronze statue of the sungod Helios was Chares, a native of Lindus. The work occupied him for twelve years and the statue was a gigantic one being 70 cubits high. Having stood near the harbour for 56 years it was thrown down by an earthquake about the year 224 B.C. The enormous fragments were sold in 656 A.D. by the Saraceus, who conquered the country, as old notal to a Jew who had to employ as many as 900 camels to carry them away.
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But the use of bronze for the purpose of ornamentation was not unknown, as can be gathered from the remarkable discovery of ancient bronze articles at Tinnevelly in the Madras Presidency whilst excavating the ancient pre-historic burial sites in which it abounds.³ Bronze articles were found along with iron swords, daggers and weapons and are of superior workmanship and do not include any bronze weapons. The bronze articles included ornamental vase stands, bowls, jars and cups of different patterns with ornamental bowl lids. Bronze bangles, necklaces, ear ornaments and diadems were also found. Two circular tubes of similar shape resembling scent bottles and a number of sieve cups and perforated strainers for straining rice were also found. These utensils and ornaments show how bronze, on account of its colour, was regarded as a highly prized article in ancient India.
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³ Annual Report, Archaeological survey of India, 1902-3. These articles and iron weapons have been referred to in the author's “Iron in ancient India.”
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In India besides being used as art ware, bronze was also used in casting statues of various gods and goddesses. The Eastern school of bronze-casters of Bengal in the eighth or ninth century was famous and it was from this school that Nepal and Tibet obtained their knowledge of bronze casting. Lāmā Tārānāth, the celebrated Tibetan historian of Buddhism, is of opinion that “the Nāgā productions of Nāgārjuna’s time were rivalled by the creations of Dhimān and his son Bitapāla, natives of Varendra (Bengal) who lived during the reigns of Devapāla and Dharmapāla (8th and 9th centuries). Both father and son were skilled alike as painters, sculptors and bronze founders. Bitpāla, who remained in Bengal, was regarded as the head of the Eastern school of bronze casting.”¹ Several excellent specimens of this Eastern school of bronze-casters in the shape of statues have been collected in the Archaeological Section of the Indian Museum.
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¹ Vincent A. Smith, History of Fine Art in India and Ceylon.