Chausa hoard

Chausa hoard
	Rishabhadeva, Bronze from Chausa, Bihar
	Shown within Bihar Chausa hoard (India)
Coordinates	25°30′27″N 83°52′56″E / 25.5075447°N 83.8823147°E

The Chausa hoard is a collection of ancient Jain bronzes. It is named after the location of the discovery: Chausa (also known as Chausagarh), which is located in the Buxar district of Bihar state, India.

History

The Chausa hoard was the first known bronze hoard discovered in the Gangetic valley and consists of a set of 18 bronze sculptures.^[1] The oldest of such bronzes to be found in India, experts date them between the Shunga and the Gupta period, (from 2nd, or possibly the 1st century BC,^[2] to the 6th Century AD).

In his classification of Jain bronzes, Patrick Krueger regards them to be early type, characterized by portrayal of a single Tirthankara without a parikara.^[3]

Major Idols

The hoard includes a Dharmachakra showing Dharmachakra supported by two yakshis supported by makaras; a kalpavriksha and sixteen tirthankaras.^[4] Among the tirthankaras, those of Rishabha are easily identified by the locks of hair.^[5] The bronzes currently reside in the Patna museum.

Related Discoveries

Other well-known hoards of Jain bronzes include Akota Bronzes, found in Gujarat; Vasantgarh hoard, found in Vasantgarh; Hansi hoard, found in Haryana; and Aluara bronzes, found in Bihar.

Gallery

Rishabhadeva, Bronze from Chausa, Bihar

Notes

^ Framing the Jina : Narratives of Icons and Idols in Jain History: Narratives ... By John Cort, Oxford University Press, 2009, p. 42
^ Pal, 151
^ Patrick Krueger, Classification of Jaina Bronzes from Western India, CoJS Newsletter, March 2011, Issue 639
^ Jaina Iconography By Umakant Premanand Shah, Abhinav Publications, 1987
^ Indian bronze masterpieces: the great tradition : specially published for the Festival of India, Karl J. Khandalavala, Asharani Mathur, Sonya Singh, p.56

References

Huntington, Susan; The art of Ancient India: Buddhist, Hindu, Jain
Pal, Pratapaditya (1986). Indian Sculpture: Circa 500 B.C.-A.D. 700. Indian Sculpture: A Catalogue of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art Collection. Vol. 1. University of California Press. ISBN 9780520059917.
Buddhapada

[1] Framing the Jina : Narratives of Icons and Idols in Jain History: Narratives ... By John Cort, Oxford University Press, 2009, p. 42

[2] Pal, 151

[3] Patrick Krueger, Classification of Jaina Bronzes from Western India, CoJS Newsletter, March 2011, Issue 639

[4] Jaina Iconography By Umakant Premanand Shah, Abhinav Publications, 1987

[5] Indian bronze masterpieces: the great tradition : specially published for the Festival of India, Karl J. Khandalavala, Asharani Mathur, Sonya Singh, p.56

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