Ancient India – tradition of the Ganges Valley; Northern...

Molded terracotta plaque depicting a female figure, probably a Yakṣī, Ancient India, Ganges valley tradition, late Shunga period, late 2nd – 1st century BCE. Vertical terracotta plaque showing a standing, frontal woman, whose silhouette occupies most of the field. The chest is clearly modeled, the waist tightened and the hips emphasized by a broad ornament or belt, today partly worn down by use. The figure features a voluminous hairstyle composed of several masses arranged around the head. Despite significant abrasion of the relief, the face, chest, arms, abdominal ornament, and long legs remain legible. The morphology of the character, the frontal stance, the richness of the coiffure and the ornamentation allow, with caution, to relate her to the vast iconographic universe of Yakṣīs and auspicious feminine figures in ancient India, traditionally associated with fertility, prosperity, and abundance. A more precise identification as Panchachuda is not retained, since no set of five ornaments or weapons distinctly recognizable is preserved on this plaque. Technically, the piece is produced by uniface molding. The principal face bears the figurative relief, while the reverse is undecorated, planed, and manually retouched. Profile views confirm that it is a solid and relatively thin plaque, and not a hollow sculpture or assembled piece. The style and technique fit within the important traditions of terracotta work produced in the Ganges valley at the end of the Maurya period and during the Shunga period. Comparisons exist notably with productions from Mathura, Kaushambi, Chandraketugarh, and Tamluk, but no specific site is claimed as proven archaeological origin. The terracotta presents a pink to reddish-orange tone under beige to whitish deposits and weathering. The most prominent parts are more abraded, while the hollows retain more material and deposits. Condition: good structural state. Strong ancient abrasion of the relief, particularly at the face, coiffure, ornaments, and garment. Small losses and peripheral wear. No significant restoration, no major reattachment, nor any evident modern reconstruction visible in the examined documentation. Presented on a modern metal base. Provenance: former Belgian private collection, acquired between 1979 and 2009, then transmitted by descent in 2023. Dimensions excluding the base: 20.5 × 10 × 2.6 cm. Weight: 513.5 g. Height with base: 27.2 cm. No thermoluminescence analysis has been carried out. The proposed attribution and dating rest on the stylistic, technical, material, and comparative study of the plaque. video link: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/w1tpigxwsimubqxbgns42/AIoYC-FzEqe1yqTAv5jkuXA?rlkey=tiendpur2szxw3h8r8vgxtlwn&dl=0

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