Terracotta Art in Nepal

Email

Whatsapp

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Copy link

Preface Art is the reflection of human thought and experience. It is an open page of either devotional feelings or secular utilitarianism in human society. Art contributes to the enrichment of the outer forms of life in relation to the inner growth of the mind. Religion provides food to the soul, which helps in the promotion of mental thinking and creativity. It also has a self-motivation factor during the course of preservation and conservation. According to Kalidas, beauty, of course, is our idea, but not sin. It is called fine art (Lalita kala) due to its beautiful character. Since the primitive stage of human civilization, intangible elements of society have been reflecting in clay. stone, wood, metal, bone, ivory, paper, barks, cloths, and leaf. After a micro-analysis of the art elements from the past it is possible to find information about the contemporary society and civilization. Due to it being a cheap and easily tractable medium, clay has been used since the Stone Age. Clay is so easy a medium to work with that when a child receives a lump of wet clay they start holding and modeling the pliable material in to any form that interests then-which may be human, animal. or any others that provide inner satisfaction and delight. The clay or terracotta figurines may be art pieces or votives, rituals magical objects or toys, but their importance is remarkable in the aspects of social documents, philosophical, and religious beliefs. Anybody can model a piece to a certain shape and size depending on his interest. After the object dries in the sun or is fired, it becomes durable in order to be used either in daily life or to be offered at the sacred shrines.

Ideas transformed into definite forms also serve as valuable documents of a society. The aim of this study is to understand the form and style of terracotta art related to various cultures. The remains mentioned in this study were found during the course of excavation in Nepal, and the results highlight the origin, typology, and stylistic evolution of the principle forms, the techniques used and their context. Such an attempt has not been made before this. Some articles have described the forms, but there has not been a critical analysis. In the Nepalese society art remains have been recovered from the third century BC to modern periods. Among various mediums, clay has been used since the primitive stage of society. A lot of human and animal figurines, beads, bangles, seals and sealing, counters, tokens, dabbers, flesh rubbers, and pottery have been discovered at Tilaurakot, Lumbini, Bañjarähi, Gotihawa, Pipri, Sisahania, Babhanīkot, Araurākot, Hädigoan, Lazimapät, Bhediyārī, and Mustang.

**Contents and Sample Pages**