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The Mauryan Empire of the 4th to 2nd century B.C.E was the first empire to rule over most of the Indian subcontinent. It represented an important transition in Indian art from use of wood to stone. It is also notable for a refinement in pottery.

Contents 1 Architecture 2 Sculpture 3 Pottery 4 Coins 5 Painting 6 References

While the period marked a second transition to use of brick and stone, wood was still the material of choice. Chanakya in the arthashastra advises the use of brick and stone for their durability. Yet he devotes a large section to safeguards to be taken against conflagrations in wooden buildings indicating their popularity.

Megasthenes mentions that the capital city of Pataliputra was encircled by a wooden palisade. Evidence of this has been found in recent excavations in Kumrahar in modern day Patna. Remains of an 80 pillared hall has also been unearthed.

Many stupas like those at Sanchi, Sarnath and probably Amaravati were originally built as brick and masonry mounds during the reign of Ashoka. Unfortunately they were renovated many times, which leaves us with hardly a clue of the original structures.

This period marked an imaginative and impressive step forward in Indian sculpting. Although some would consider the Pillars of Ashoka as architecture, owing to their free standing nature and elaborately carved animal capitals we consider them here as examples of sculpture.

These pillars were carved in fine buff coloured sandstone in the Chunar quarry near Varanasi. They were given a fine polish charecteristic of Mauryan sculpure. These pillars were mainly erected in the Gangetic plains. They were inscribed with edicts of Ashoka on Dhamma or righteousness. The animal capital as a finely carved lifelike representation. Noteworthy are the lion capital of Sarnath, the bull capital of Rampurva and the lion capital of Laurya Nandangarh.

. Much speculation has been made about the similarity between these capitals and Achaemenid works.

Sculptures like the Didarganj Yakshi may probably represent an exquisite example of Mauryan sculpture, though its age is debated. Terracotta images of folk gods and godesses have been found which have an earthy charm. Ringstones probably associated with a fertility cult have also been found in some quantity.

Use of the potters wheel became universal. A special type of pottery known as the Northern Black Polished pottery was the hallmark of Mauryan pottery. This special technique used fine aluvial clay that was given a glazed black finish. These polished pots were probably of special value as even fragmented pots joined by copper pins have been found.

The Mauryas issued coins in silver and copper metal discs which were punchmarked with symbols. These symbols are said to have either represented the Royal insignia or the symbol of the local guild that struck the coin. Some coins had Shroff marks on them indicating that older coins were often re-issued. The alloy content closely resembles that specified in the Arthashastra. Based on his analysis of Mauryan coins D.D Kosambi had detected debasement of coins in the later Mauryan times. This in his opinion indicated that there was an economic upheaval as suggested. However his chronological identififcation has been questioned.

While we can be sure of Mauryan proficiency in this field based on the descriptions of Megasthenes, unfortunately no proper representative has been found to date.

"Asoka and the decline of the Mauryas" by Romila Thapar, Oxford Press