80˚ 85˚ 90˚ 95˚
30˚
25˚
20˚
15˚
10˚
5˚
1
2
3
4
Bamiyan
Peshawar
Rangmahal
Hadda
Akhnur
Srinagar
Harvan
Taxila
Mirpur Khas
Mathura
Ahar
Bhitargaon
Pawaya
Deogarh
Varanasi
Nachnakuthara
Tigawa
Ramtek
Nalanda
Sultanganj
Kurkihar
Pandu Rajar Dhibi
Vaishali
Elephanta
Kondapur
Ter
Anuradhapura
Sigiriya
Kanchipuram
Nagapattinam
Amaravati
Udayagiri
Bhattiprolu
Ghantasala
Goli
Nagarjunakonda
Jaggayyapeta
Sanchi
Akota
Ellora
Aihole
Kolhapur
Brahmagiri
Bagh
Ajanta
Dwarka
Barygaza
Phophnar
Noh
Gop
Sarnath
Kannauj
Bodh Gaya
Kaushambi
Ma
hanadi
Godava
ri
Ka
veri
Krishna
Ganges
Yamuna
Sutlej
Indus
Indus
Jhelu
m
Chen
ab
Ravi
Brahmaputra
A R A B I A N
S E A
I N D I A N
O C E A N
H
I
M
A
L A Y A S
EASTERN GHATS
WESTERN GHATS
D E C C A N
H I N D U
K U S H
T H A R
D E S E R T
KSHATRAPA
W
ESTERN
A N D H R A S
S A T A V A
H
A
N
A
S
G U P T A S
H U N A S
IKSHVAKUS
P A L L A V A S
CHOLAS
PANDYAS
CHERAS
VAKATAKAS
S
A
S
S
A
N
I
A
N
S
H E P H T H A L I T E S
K
U
S
H
A
N
A
S
Southwestern ports:
clothing/linen,
copper, tin, lead,
semi-precious stones,
coins, glass, wheat, wine
Eastern ports:
muslin, pearls,
ivory, cinnamon
Indus ports:
semi-precious stones,
furs/skins,
indigo/other dyes,
cotton, silk
Southeastern ports:
muslin,
semi-precious stones,
pearls, tortoise shell
N
0
0
2 India, AD 100-600
area of Gupta overlordship
major dynasty,
1st-3rd centuries AD
major dynasty,
3rd-6th centuries AD
route of Faxian,
AD 399-414
probable route of
Xuanzang, AD 629-645
painting
pillar
monastery remains
stupa
cave: sculpted or painted
temple structure
bronze sculpture
stone sculpture
terracotta/stucco imagery
ivory carving
jewellery
coins
imports
exports
ANDHRAS
GUPTAS
- Indus ports (imports):
silver/gold plate, semi-precious stones, glassware,
clothing/linen, wine
- Barygaza ports (exports):
semi-precious stones, cotton/silk cloth, yarn, pepper, ivory
- Southwestern ports (exports):
precious/semi-precious stones, tortoise shell, silk cloth,
cinnamon, pepper, ivory
- Barygaza ports (imports):
silverware, gold/silver coins, copper, tin,lead, glass,
clothing, wine
1
2
3
4
300 miles
450 kms
DETAIL OF A WALL PAINTING from Ajanta caves, c. fifth
century AD, in the domain of the Vakataka dynasty.
These Buddhist paintings are celebrated for their
sophisticated compositions that burst with life. Set
in palaces and gardens, they show kings, ascetics,
animals and the most seductive women in self-
consciously languid poses. The depictions of
textiles, furniture and ornament allow us a vivid
window into early India.
The mountain passes of the northwest frontier
have always been India’s vital corridors for links
to the west, whether for overland trade, or, as
in the case of Alexander in the third century BC,
for conquest. Following Alexander’s retreat
from the Jhelum River in 326 –5 BC, his
possessions in northwest India and
Afghanistan were divided between his generals.
By the period of the establishment of the
subcontinent-wide Mauryan Empire in the
third century BC, therefore, indigenous and
foreign models of statecraft, administration
and, moreover, control over a standing army
were well-known.
The extensive diplomatic and trade
exchanges of the Mauryan emperors
Chandragupta (r.321–297 BC) and Ashoka
(r.268–232 BC) with Iran, Greece, Egypt, Sri
Lanka and Southeast Asia are reflected in not
just the influences on their art, but the
conscious choice to leave lasting legacies in
stone. Imperial Mauryan freestanding
monolithic pillars were all quarried near
Varanasi and then transported over river
networks to far-flung regions of the empire.
Ashokan stone inscriptions concern a variety of
social, religious and economic matters. They
30˚
25˚
20˚
15˚
90˚
85˚
80˚
Sanchi
nnathi
Amaravati
Udayagiri
Gudimallam
Arikamedu
Anuradhapura
a
Bharhut
Ahichhatra
Sravasti
Ayodhya
Sarnath
Chandraketugarh
Tamralipti
Varanasi
Vaishali
Pataliputra
Rajgriha
Bodh Gaya
Kaushambi
Mahanadi
Godavari
rmada
Kav
eri
G
anges
Yamuna
Bra
hmaputra
I N D I A N
O C E A N
H
I
M
A
L
A Y A S
E A S T E R N G H A T S
C A N
N G A S
M A U R Y A S
K A L I N G A
economic commodities/
raw materials:
horses
elephants
cotton
silk
spices
iron/coal
gold
diamonds
gems
pearls
1 WHILE HUNDREDS OF megalithic burial sites were
dotted across India in this period and traces of
civilization and rural dwellings can be found across
the subcontinent, this map shows only major sites
or regions that either manufactured
or supplied materials for the production of ‘art’.
Several cities and monastic dwellings have
revealed structures, coins, paintings and artefacts
for what is called the ‘early-historic’ period in
ndia. The structures are mostly Buddhist, Jain or
Hindu, although there are traces of others which
can no longer be clearly identified. The map
uses only the most commonly known names
of dynasties.
LION CAPITAL, SARNATH, 3RD CENTRY BC. This monolithic
pillar capital was one of many erected by King
Ashoka. The capital is made from spectacularly
polished cream sandstone. Sarnath is the site where
the Buddha delivered his first sermon, thereby
establishing the religious order of Buddhism.
Interestingly, the pillar bears an inscription left by
Ashoka threatening dissenting monks with
expulsion from the order.
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