Stone Crafts of Taxila: Continuity and Change in Art Tradition

Abstract

Stone art has been a traditional craft of Taxila since ages, particularly since Greek’s arrival in this region, and more dominated under the royal patronage of Kushans. It is appearing to continue in this region in different forms till our times. The present research determines to explore the continuity of stone crafts, their transformation and to explore the reasons for its transmutation in different forms at the very location of the ancient heritage site. This thesis presents five research chapters. First chapter introduces the topic along with the problem statement, objectives, research methodology and research significance. Second chapter describes prehistoric and historic eras of Taxila valley working as a base for the emergence and transformation of contemporary stone crafts. Therefore, this chapter discusses in detail the archaeological sites in Taxila valley and their discoveries. Medium and subject matter of the artefacts are elaborated. Significant features of the valley with special focus on art of stone carving are also discussed in broader perspective. Third and fourth chapters focus on the details of ancient and modern Stone craftsman ship in Taxila valley respectively. Fourth chapter offers a comparative study of ancient and modern craftsmanship leading towards the fifth part of the research with special reference to analysis of ancient stone crafts with contemporary ones. Also, it is about contemporary techniques of making sculptures. Fifth chapter presents comparative analysis of stone crafts and its development and continuation. The research concludes that some stone crafts are in continuity like stone pottery making, and some are in the renaissance phase like sculptural art which remained dormant for a long time of fifteen centuries but now in a reemerging viii phase. This conclusion is drawn in the light of the field activity including interviews and personal observations, reviews of available literature and analysis of artwork. The comparative analysis of ancient sculptures with modern ones shall help the upcoming scholars to identify the differences and transformation. There is visible transformation in stone craft products like grave art or making of tombstones. If we look back into the ancient art, Buddhist stupas were built and adorned with the Buddhist sculptures but in modern era, because of socio-political and religious changes in the region, Muslims, dominating population has transformed stupa into stone graves and replaced the sculptural adoration with floral motifs, verses from Holy Quran and other inscriptions like couplets, having deep inspirations from ancient works of art marking the continuity. However, changes are visibly appearing in the subject matter and our inspirations contemporary art activities globally. Thus, the inheritance art and technique is dominantly visible showing its continuity of classical period.