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Ancient Indian Architecture

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61 views42 pages

Ancient Indian Architecture

Uploaded by

baraa.mimi14
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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History of Architecture I

Ancient Indian
Architecture
The historical timeline of architecture:
Ancient India
Geography

The architecture of Ancient India includes present day India, Pakistan,


Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka
Geography

• Many cities spread around the rivers Indus and Ganges

• Surrounded by the Himalayas from the north east

• Surrounded by seas and Indian ocean from south, south east, and south west
Climate

• The country has a varied climate; wet in winter and dry in summer, mostly
tropical

• Buildings built to adapt to the climate; in the north, flat roofs were common, while
steep pitched roofs were used in west coast due to heavy rain
Geology

• Timber was available near Indus and Ganges valleys

• Some part of India had stone and white marble

• Availability of rock-cut, mainly used for temples


History

• Indus valley civilization is the third great


civilization to emerge in a fertile river
valley, mainly in the northwestern regions
of South Asia

• Agriculture society began to emerge


around 5000 BC surrounding the Indus
river, producing a large urban settlements
that flourished around 3300 to 1500 BC

• In 1500 BC, Indu-Aryans from the north


moved into India and developed religion
with emphasis on male and female fertility
History

Each city was ruled by priest-king


History

• Products of remarkable artwork


and forms of writing emerge
during the early times of
civilization

• Successive military and economic


incursions brought art and
architecture: Aryan, Persian, Greco-
Roman, Sassanian, Muslim,
Portuguese, French, English
Religion

1. Hinduism

• From Dravidians and Aryan invaders

• known as a way of life rather than a


single religion

• All souls are immortal, they believe in the


cycle of birth, the soul comes back to life
in different body with its karma
(transmigration of soul)

• One have a way to live the life with


truth, honesty, authenticity (find the
Dharma)
Religion

1. Hinduism
• One main god Brahma (the creator of the universe) and supporting gods;
the destroyer shiva, and the protector Durga

• God are associated with natural elects and events

Brahma Shiva Durga


Religion

2. Buddhism

• Believe in meditation to quell and


eliminate the human desire

• Four noble truths:

1. Life is suffering

2. Suffering comes from desire

3. Stop the desire

4. 8 pathways to stop desires


and reach nirvana
Religion

2. Buddhism
Ancient Indian Architecture
• Early Indian architecture is the story of how powerful and popular
religions celebrated their beliefs through monumental designs

• Depends on raw material, mainly timber and stone

• Known by the rock-cut temples, which is built by sculpturing into


rock cliffs
• Indian Architecture has influenced the surrounding regions of the world
especially eastern Asia, due to the spread of its religions

• Profusion luxuriant carving portraying the numerous gods


Hindu Temples
Hindu Temples

Hindu temple architecture has often been called sculptures in a mass scale
rather than true architecture, as early temples were rock-cut, later, structural temple
evolved
Hindu Temples

• The temple is a
representation of the
universe

• The interiors are very small


and dark, not impressive as
the exteriors

• Material: stone

• Mostly located in North India


Hindu Temples

• A religious belief that the primordial world floated in a vast ocean with sacred
mountain at the center consisting of five or six ascending levels had affected the
architecture of the temples

• Concepts of God's residing in the mountains led to the creation of temples as


caves carved into the solid rock of cliff sites
Hindu Temples

• Two axes typically govern Hindu Temple architecture

- A horizontal ground plane axial system oriented to the cardinal directions,


often facing east

- A towering mass marking a vertical


axis
Hindu Temples

• Basic Hindu temple consisted of an inner sanctum or womb-chamber (Garbhagriha),


crowned by tower-like called Shikhara, and possibly an antechamber (entrance) and porch

• The entire complex set on a tall plinth or base


Hindu Temples

Kandariya Mahadeva, Khajuraho


Hindu Temples

(Entrence)
(Hall)
(Great Hall)
(Vesti
bule)
(Womb
Shikharas

• These are the peaks of the towers rising


from the core of the Hindu temples

• This vertical mass represent the sacred


Mountain

• These towers tell stories as they rise,


they are always extravagantly
decorated

• Most of the temple show sculptures and


carving of animals, as the Hindus believe
that the life is sacred
Hindu Temples
Buddhist Temples
Buddhist Temples

Buddhism is represented by
important building types:

- The Stupa; hemispherical


mound for worship

- The Chaitya Hall; Place of


worship
The
Stupa

• The stupa is a large domed mound


covered with a stone that represents the
dome of Heaven, and the sacred
mountain, it is a cosmological diagram
linking the body of the Buddha to the
universe

• Enclosed by circular walkways with


stone fences called the Vedika

• The interior and exterior surface of the


vedika are carved with reliefs of
events of Buddhist significance
The
Stupa

• The vedika has openings on four


sides, aligned to the cardinal
directions

• The directions represent space, and


the entrances, replicating the
movement of the stars, represent
time

• Large gate is positioned in the


cardinal directions
The
Stupa

• At the top of the stupa is


another vedika (the harmika)
that is inaccessible and serves
only symbolic purposes

• The harmika is a square


platform with railing
symbolizing an alter
The
Stupa
Sanchi Stupa
(273-236 BC)
Sanchi
Stupa

Size: 36.6m diameter, 16 m high


Sanchi
Stupa
Sanchi
Stupa
Sanchi
Stupa
The Chaitya
Hall

• Rock-cut structures and pilgrimage site

• A Chaitya is a Buddhist shrine or prayer hall with a stupa at the end


The Chaitya
Hall
The Chaitya
Hall
Links:

- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGV6M4wQ8Os

- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYKdEnEqfQQ

Next lecture

Chinese Architecture

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