SHUNGA DYNASTY AND ITS HELLENISTIC CONNECTION

 Η ΔΥΝΑΣΤΕΙΑ SHUNGA ΚΑΙ Η ΕΛΛΗΝΙΣΤΙΚΗ ΣΥΣΧΕΤΙΣΗ

The Shunga kingdom [NOTE000] 

Magadha was the nucleus of the Shunga kingdom, which succeeded the Mauryan. The kingdom extended westward to include Ujjain and Vidisha. The Shungas came into conflict with Vidarbha and with the Yavanas, who probably were Bactrian Greeks attempting to move into the Ganges valley. The word yavana derives from the Prakrit yona, suggesting that the Ionians were the first Greeks with whom the Persians and Indians came into contact. In later centuries the name Yavana was applied to all peoples coming from western Asia and the Mediterranean region, which included the Romans, Persians, and Arabs. The Shunga dynasty lasted for about one century and was then overthrown by the Brahman minister Vasudeva, who founded the Kanva dynasty, which lasted 45 years and following which the Magadha area was of greatly diminished importance until the 4th century CE.

Necklace Bead and Pair of Pendants in the Shape of an Auspicious Symbol[NOTE005]

Χάνδρα από περιδέραιο και κρεμαστό κόσμημα με το σχήμα ευοίωνου συμβόλου [NOTE005]

These exceptionally fine pieces of gold jewelry would have been strung on a necklace. The auspicious symbols on either side of the egg-shaped bead are in the form of full blown lotus flowers with the seed pods carefully detailed, and trident-shaped forms decorated with stylized palmette motifs emanate down from the lotuses.

Αυτά τα εξαιρετικά ωραία χρυσά κοσμήματα αρχικώς αποτελούσαν μέρη περιδεραίου. Τα ευοίωνο σύμβολα και στά δύο άκρα της ωοειδούς χάνδρας διαθέτουν την μορφή των πλήρως ανεπτυγμένων ανθέων λωτού με τους σπόρους να απεικονίζονται με μεγάλη λεπτομέρεια και εικόνες triratna - τρίαινας σε φυτικό ύφος ...

Ερώτημα: ποιός κατασκεύασε αυτά τα αριστουργήματα διαθέτοντας την καλλιτεχνική αρτιότητα αλλά και την γνώση της τεχνικής repoussee και κοκκιδώσεως? Την απάντηση δίδει η Sengupta ονομάζοντας την τέχνη της ‘Sunga’ ως Greco-Buddhist![NOTE010] .. early Greco-Buddhist ‘Sunga’ style

The following question arises: who made these masterpieces with the artistic perfection but also the knowledge of the repoussee and granulation technique? The answer is given by Sengupta calling Greco-Buddhist the art of Sunga!

Yaksa / Άτλας που κρατά το κιγκλίδωμα με κορινθιακούς κίονες, Madhya Pradesh (?), Περίοδος Shunga (2ος-1ος αιώνας π.Χ.), Musee Guimet.[NOTE015]

Baluster-holding yakṣa, Madhya Pradesh, Shunga period (2nd–1st century BCE). Guimet Museum.

Ac. Nr. MMA 1981.398.3–.4, 1st c. BC[NOTE020]

Hinged Armlet, 1st c. Sirkap, MMA 1987.142.291 [NOTE025]

Pair of Ear Plugs with Hamsas (Wild Geese), 1st c., Gandhara, MMA 1987.142.291 & 1987.142.290a, b[NOTE030]

Pendant With Shri [NOTE035]

Pendant With Shri

Pendant with Shri, circa 100s. A conflation of local and Hellenistic divinities, this goddess exemplifies abundance and prosperity. Like Tyche, she holds a cornucopia, overflowing with fruits and bounty, but it is in the form of a lotus flower, associated with the local Indian goddess of good fortune, Shri. To further emphasize this association, she holds a lotus flower in her right hand as well. Creator Godefroid de Huy (Netherlandish), circle of. (Photo by Heritage Arts/Heritage Images via Getty Images, https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/pendant-with-shri-circa-100s-a-conflation-of-local-and-news-photo/1183194882?adppopup=true)

Shunga era plaques showing mermaids (2ⁿᵈ century BCE, Chandraketugarh, India[NOTE040]

Portrait of a donor, Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh, Maurya, 3rd–2nd century B.C. Sandstone, 19.1 by 10.2 by 15.2cm. Collection: National Museum, New Delhi.[NOTE050].

ΣΗΜΕΙΩΣΕΙΣ

[NOTE000]. Brittanica, s.v. The Shunga kingdom.

[NOTE005]. John L. Severance Fund 1973.66, <https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1973.66>, Gold Necklace Bead and Pair of Pendants in the Shape of an Auspicious Symbol, c. 150 BC Uttar Pradesh ή Madhya Pradesh, Shunga period (187-78 BC).

[NOTE010]. Sengupta 2019, p. lxxxviii.

[NOTE015]. Yaksa / Άτλας που κρατά το κιγκλίδωμα με κορινθιακές στήλες, Madhya Pradesh (?), Περίοδος Shunga (2ος-1ος αιώνας π.Χ.), Musee Guimet. Wikipedia, s.v. Shunga Empire.

[NOTE020]. Lerner 1984, p. 20. Metropolitan Museum of Art, ac. nr. 1981.398.3–.4, 1st c. BC. <https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/39676?searchField=All&amp;sortBy=Relevance&amp;ft=India%2c+Bombay+School&amp;offset=0&amp;rpp=20&amp;pos=2>

[NOTE025]. Behrendt 2007, p. 16, cat. nr. 11. Hinged Armlet, 1st c. Sirkap, MMA 1987.142.291. 

[NOTE030]. Behrendt 2007, p. 16, cat. nr. 12a, b. Pair of Ear Plugs with Hamsas (Wild Geese), 1st c., Gandhara, MMA 1987.142.291 & 1987.142.290a, b.

[NOTE035]. <https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/pendant-with-shri-circa-100s-a-conflation-of-local-and-news-photo/1183194882?adppopup=true>)

[NOTE040]. https://gurlic.com/history. In the first plaque we see two men standing with a large fish net near the tree to catch the mermaid. The second plaque depicts the capture of the mermaid. The first plaque shows a mermaid swimming in a lake, holding what could be a mirror or a flower. A throng of people have gathered on the shore. They are looking at her as if she was an unusual spectacle. A nobleman or chieftain has arrived at the scene on his horse-drawn chariot. One of his assistants is pointing out the mermaid to him. We can see three men standing on the shore with (what appears to be) a big fishing net hanging over their shoulders.

[NOTE050]. Οι μελετητές της πρώιμης Ινδίας προσδιόρισαν κάποτε οποιεσδήποτε ανώνυμες αποδόσεις ενός ανθρώπου ως προσωποποιημένο πνεύμα της φύσεως. Ωστόσο, είναι πλέον σαφές ότι προσωπογραφίες ατόμων υπήρχαν παράλληλα με εικόνες θεοτήτων της φύσεως. Οι κεφαλές που φαίνονται εδώ ανασκάφηκαν το 1914 στο Sarnath, τον τόπο του πρώτου κηρύγματος του Βούδα. Καθεμία είναι ξεχωριστή ως πρός τα χαρακτηριστικά του προσώπου και του ύφους της κομμώσεως, υποδηλώνοντας ότ πρόκειται περί προσωπογραφίας. Σκαλισμένες με αυτοπεποίθηση σε αιχμηρά επίπεδα που ρίχνουν βαθιές σκιές, ιδανικές για τοποθέτηση σε εξωτερικό χώρο, και οι δύο φορούν τουρμπάνι με σχέδια και πλεγμένα μαλλιά. Η Mauryan βόρεια Ινδία βρισκόταν σε στενή διπλωματική επαφή με τους ιρανικούς και ελληνιστικούς πολιτισμούς, στους οποίους η προσωπογραφία είχε καθιερωμένη θέση. Αυτές οι κεφαλές από το Sarnath μπορεί στη συνέχεια να αντιπροσωπεύουν βουδιστές δωρητές υψηλού επιπέδου. Βλ. 'Tree and Serpent: Early Buddhist Art in India, 200 BCE–400 CE' at the MET' http://www.alaintruong.com/archives/2023/07/18/39975155.html 

ΒΙΒΛΙΟΓΡΑΦΙΑ

The Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art 1978. Cleveland.

(Reproduced: p. 286: https://archive.org/details/CMAHandbook1978/page/n306/mode/2up)

The Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art 1991. Cleveland. (Reproduced: p. 11: https://archive.org/details/CMAHandbook1991/page/n26/mode/2up)

https://www.academia.edu/40814664/Buddhist_Jewels_in_Mortuary_Cult_Magic_Symbols

Sengupta, A. R. 2019. Buddhist Jewels in Mortuary Cult: Magic Symbols. Delhi.

(Reproduced: Vol. 1, P. 28, fig. 1.46; Vol. 2, P. 520, fig. a; Mentioned: Vol. 1, P. 25)

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/metpublications/The_Lotus_Transcendent_Indian_and_Southeast_Asian_Art_from_the_Samuel_Eilenberg_Collection

Lerner, M., S. Kossak, eds., 1991. The Lotus Transcendent: Indian and Southeast Asian Art from the Samuel Eilenberg Collection (Metropolitan Museum of Art),  New York.

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/metpublications/The_Flame_and_the_Lotus_Indian_and_Southeast_Asian_Art_from_the_Kronos_Collections

Lerner, M. 1984. The Flame and the Lotus: Indian and Southeast Asian Art from the Kronos  Collections (Metropolitan Museum of Art), New York.

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/metpublications/The_Art_of_Gandhara_in_The_Metropolitan_Museum_of_Art

Behrendt, K. A., ed. 2007. The Art of Gandhara in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Metropolitan Museum of Art), New York. 

https://archive.org/details/THEGREEKSINASIA2015ByJOHNBOARDMAN/page/n257/mode/2up

Boardman, J. 2015. The Greeks in Asia, Thames & Hudson.

https://books.google.com/books/about/Mythical_Animals_In_Indian_Art.html?id=ELnMAOzBzd0C

Krishna Murthy, K. 1985. Mythical Animals in Indian Art, New Delhi.

ΤΕΛΕΥΤΑΙΟΣ ΕΜΠΛΟΥΤΙΣΜΟΣ - ΕΠΙΜΕΛΕΙΑ: 171123

http://www.hellenicaworld.com/Greece/Art/Ancient/en/GrecoBuddhistArt.html

The art of the Sunga

Examples of the influence of Hellenistic or Greco-Buddhist art on the art of the Sunga empire (183-73 BC) are usually faint. The main religion, at least at the beginning, seems to have been Brahmanic Hinduism, although some late Buddhist realizations in Madhya Pradesh as also known, such as some architectural expansions that were done at the stupas of Sanchi and Bharhut, originally started under King Ashoka.

This Sunga-period balustrate-holding Atalante Yaksa from the Sunga period (left), adopts the Atalante theme, usually fulfilled by Atlas, and elements of Corinthian capital and architecture typical of Greco-Buddhist friezes from the Northwest, although the content does not seem to be related to Buddhism. This work suggests that some of the Gandharan friezes, influential to this work, may have existed as early as the 2nd century or 1st century BC.

Other Sunga works show the influence of floral scroll patterns, and Hellenistic elements in the rendering of the fold of dresses. The 2nd century BC depiction of an armed foreigner (right), probably a Greek king, with Buddhist symbolism (triratana symbol of the sword), also indicates some kind of cultural, religious, and artistic exchange at that point of time.

MMA 1992.129

MMA 1987.142.376

Una placca erotica intagliata in avorio è conservata all'Ashmolean Museum a Oxford (Acc. No. EA1998.39)

Boardman 2015, p. 258: Η Bodh Gaya ήταν το μέρος όπου ο Βούδας έλαβε φώτιση και έπρεπε να εφοδιαστεί καλά με ναούς. Η πρώιμη, από την περίοδο Sunga, έχει πολλά κλασικά χαρακτηριστικά – το νέο ύφος πτυχωτού χιτώνα, καθώς και μια ποικιλία θεμάτων για κυκλικά διακοσμητικά (roundel), όπως γοργόνα, κένταυρος και φτερωτός ελέφαντας [72].273

Bodh Gaya was where the Buddha received enlightenment and was to be well provided with temples. The early one, from the Sunga period, has many classical features - the new styles of folded drapery, and a variety of subjects for roundels including a mermaid, centaur and winged elephant[72]273

 

Krishna Murthy 1985, pp. 36-37

11. Half-Maiden and Half-Snake (Mermaid) 

This type of mythical animal occurs in the sculptures of Barhut56 (Fig. V, 88) and Sanchi.57 One of the pilasters at Sanchi reveals this type of composite figures. They are shown as half woman with serpent hood and half snake with fishtail and with hands clasped in prayer. In Indian mythology this figure also arose in the same way as that of makara. Probably, the sculptor had the Greek Echidna58 in his mind while portraying this half maiden and half snake. Echidna was a sea-monster of the Greeks and daughter of Chrysaor and Callirrhoe. Her home was the country of the [] Arimi in Cilicia. Echidna, half woman and half serpent in Greek legend, became, by Typhon, the mother of the Chimaera, of the many-headed dog Orthus, of the dragon who guarded the apples of the Hesperides, of the Colchian dragon, of the Sphinx, of Cerberus of Scylla, of the Lernacan Hydra, of the eagle which consumed the liver of Prometheus and of the Nemeart lion. She was killed in her sleep by the hundred-eyed Argus. 

pp. 36-37:Αυτός ο τύπος μυθικού ζώου {ενν. η γοργόνα} εμφανίζεται στα γλυπτά του Barhut (Εικ. V, 88) και του Sanchi. Μία από τις παραστάδες στο Sanchi αποκαλύπτει αυτόν τον τύπο σύνθετης μορφής. Παρουσιάζονται ως μισή γυναίκα με κουκούλα φιδιού και μισό φίδι με ουρά ψαριού και με τα χέρια ενωμένα σε στάση προσευχής. Στην ινδική μυθολογία αυτή η μορφή προέκυψε επίσης με τον ίδιο τρόπο όπως αυτή της makara. Πιθανότατα, ο γλύπτης να είχε στο μυαλό του την ελληνική Έχιδνα ενώ απεικόνιζε αυτό το όν κατα το ήμισυ γυναίκα και κατα το υπόλοιπο φίδι. Η Έχιδνα ήταν ένα θαλάσσιο τέρας των Ελλήνων, κόρη του Χρυσάορος και της Καλλιρρόης. Η κατοικία της ευρίσκετο στην χώρα των Αρίμων στην Κιλικία. Η Έχιδνα σύμφωνα με τον ελληνικό μύθο ήταν γυναίκα κατά το ήμισυ  και φίδι κατά το υπόλοιπο, γέννησε δε από τον Τυφώνα την Χίμαιρα, τον πολυκέφαλο σκύλο Όρθο, τον δράκο που φύλαγε τα μήλα των Εσπερίδων, τον Κολχικό δράκο, την Σφίγγα, τον Κέρβερο της Σκύλλας, την Λερναία Ύδρα, τον αετό που κατέτρωγε το ήπαρ του Προμηθέα και τον Λέοντα της Νεμέας. Σκοτώθηκε στον ύπνο της από τον Άργο με τους εκατό οφθαλμούς.

 ... Η Χίμαιρα που απεικονίζεται στα σπάλαια Ajanta αποτελεί επίσης δάνειο από την Ελλάδα. {p. 69}

https://www.academia.edu/122376985/SANCHI_Some_nuances_of_the_Gandhara_Art?fbclid=IwY2xjawEqdoNleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHdQFZ1GCXUiogMnAA6MY2d2H9Hj-oetitwihCkTJoZTGGHMFo17gODmUBg_aem_G5-fhIP2-OLc4LXbJShugQ

Pillar 25 at Sanchi is also attributed to the Sungas, in the 2nd–1st century BCE, and is considered as similar in design to the Heliodorus pillar, locally called Kham Baba pillar, dedicated by Heliodorus, the ambassador to the Indo-Greek king Antialkidas, in nearby Vidisha circa 100 BCE. That it belongs to about the period of the Sunga, is clear alike from its design and from the character of the surface dressing. 

Foreigners from Gandhara are otherwise known to have visited the region around the same time: in 115 BCE, the embassy of Heliodorus from Indo-Greek king Antialkidas to the court of the Sungas king Bhagabhadra in nearby Vidisha is recorded, in which Heliodorus established the Heliodorus pillar in a dedication to Vāsudeva. This would indicate that relations had improved at that time, and that people traveled between the two realms.

Ινδικό Ελληνίζων αγαλματίδιο το οποίο ανεσκάφη στην Πομπηία από την λεγομένη ‘Casa della Statuetta Indiana’

 Levi D'Ancona, M. 1950. "An Indian Statuette from Pompeii," Artibus Asiae 13 (3), pp. 166-180.