Amaravati Art in the Context of Andhra Archaeology
by Sreyashi Ray chowdhuri | 2018 | 90,477 words
This page relates 鈥楲ower Krishna Valley (13): Sankaram鈥� of the study on Amaravati Art in the Context of Andhra Archaeology, including museum exhibitions of the major archeological antiquities. These pages show how the Buddhist establishment of Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh) survived from 4th century BCE to 14th century CE. It includes references and translations of episodes of Buddha鈥檚 life drawn from the Avadanas and Jatakas which are illustrated in Amaravati art.
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Lower 碍峁涐梗峁嚹� Valley (13): Sankaram
[Location: Sankaram (Lat 17042鈥橬 Long 8302 E, Anakapalle Taluk, Vi艣膩kh膩patnam District)]
Sankaram village in the Anakappalle taluk of Vi艣膩kh膩patnam district[1] was an important centre of Buddhism. To the north of Sa峁卥aram are two hills locally called Bojjannako峁囜笉a and Lingalako峁囜笉a which contains Buddhist relics on the top.
Scholars are not unanimous regarding the time frame of the structures on the hill top. R. Sewell on the basis of two lined inscription with 叠谤腻丑尘墨 character placed the beginnings of the Buddhist 办艣别迟谤补 at Sa峁卥aram around 2nd century C.E. But A. Rea opined that the Buddhist structures on the hill top goes back to the 2nd century B.C.E or before it. In this regard it may be mentioned that the Buddhist remains on the twin hills were discovered by A. Rea in 1907. Rea suggested that the structures are crude and primitive. The crudeness suggests early origin or a period of later decadence. But such early date is not accepted by the presence of Buddha image in the caves and niches (PL 9d).
Bojjannakonda is the richer of the two hills. The monuments on this hill include caves, 蝉迟奴辫补蝉, 肠补颈迟测补驳峁沨补蝉, 惫颈丑腻谤补蝉, monasteries and votive 蝉迟奴辫补蝉. Rockcut votive 蝉迟奴辫补蝉 are found on Lingalako峁囜笉a[2]. With the exception of the 惭补丑腻蝉迟奴辫补, none of the 蝉迟奴辫补蝉 in the site has projection and the 腻测补办补 platform. This is unlikely in the 蝉迟奴辫补蝉 of lower 碍峁涐梗峁嚹� valley. In addition to it seals, sealings, tablets, coins, pottery and a coin of Samudra Gupta are reported from Sankaram.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Das D.Jithendra, Op.cit, pp 45-46
[2]:
Ghosh A (ed) 1959, Indian Archaeology-A Review, 1958-59,, p 102