Ancient Indian Terracotta Artifacts: Lost Symbolism and Cultural Relevance-An Analytical Study

Dr. Satyamangal Rege

Abstract: Terracotta - fired clay shaped by hand, mold or wheel - has been a persistent medium across the millennia of South Asian cultural production. From Neolithic figurines to elaborate temple plaques of the early medieval age, terracotta artifacts document aesthetics, ritual practice, narrative art and artisan technology in forms often neglected by monumental stone-centred art histories. This paper examines the symbolic vocabulary embedded in ancient Indian terracotta across major horizons (Pre-Harappan/Harappan, Early Historic, Gupta and regional medieval traditions), asks why some symbolic meanings became ?lost? or opaque to later viewers, and argues for the continued cultural relevance of terracotta as both archive and living tradition. Drawing on recent archaeological syntheses and focused case studies, this study synthesizes typological, contextual and iconographic approaches to recover probable meanings; highlights the role of production, patronage and distribution in shaping symbolism; and proposes strategies for integrating terracotta into broader narratives of South Asian art history and heritage management.

Keywords: Terracotta, Figurines, Indus, Gupta, Iconography, Ritual, Craft, Material Culture

How to Cite?: Dr. Satyamangal Rege, "Ancient Indian Terracotta Artifacts: Lost Symbolism and Cultural Relevance-An Analytical Study", Volume 14 Issue 10, October 2025, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Pages: 1488-1491, https://www.ijsr.net/getabstract.php?paperid=SR251027165933, DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR251027165933