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Bhamala: Carved bricks, flooring, Taxila, Museum

Date

Authors

Photographer: Arthur Llewellyn Basham

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Abstract

Description

Until this period under the Kushans, most shrines were decorated with fair restraint, Carvings and reliefs were limited to the major gateways, and minor architectural elements such as paths, stairs, and railings were left unadorned, It became increasingly important with the new influx of goods from the Near East and West to broaden the decorational systems to keep in style with the greater tastes for embellished surfaces: this included architecture, As these carefully patterned bricks show, floor coverings also received this embellishment with myriad patterns of vaguely geometric shapes and barely organic forms, These decorations are far afield from the tasteful flowers forming framing devices around relief panels on the gates of stupas, but for their different use the geometric motifs seem more appropriate after all,

Citation

Source

Type

Archives Series

Basham Collection

Date created

circa 1970s

Access Statement

License Rights

This image is provided for research purposes only and must not be reproduced without the prior permission of the Archives Program, Australian National University.

DOI

Restricted until

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