A good number of sculptures of Jharkhand are preserved in the State Museum at Ranchi. Stone sculptures and bronze ones published with their details in the present book titled 'Sculptures in the State Museum, Ranchi" by Sri Arbinda Singha Roy not only acquaint readers with the artistic heritage of the region but also speak of the early medieval dynastic and regional art styles adopted by the artisans in sculpting and embellishing the temples and shrines of Brahmanical, Jaina and Buddhist pantheons. Out of 60 sculptures studied in the book, there are 47 in stone and 13 in bronze having their connection with all the above three faiths. The author has correctly mentioned that some of these may have their origin outside Jharkhand as their findspots are either not mentioned or they have been received through gift. Historical developments, particularly concerned with socio-religious scenario of the region from about 10th century onwards are reflected in the sculptural art. Buddhism started disappearing after the patronage given by the Pala rulers ended with their rule, however, Jaina and Brahmanical art continued. The number of sculptures and their technical execution suggest this. I hope the book would be liked by researchers and general readers in understanding art of the region.
Since 2016, I have been working on the Archaeology of Jharkhand. Its diversity of culture has always attracted me. To know further about its cultural variation, I recently joined the Department of Archaeology and Museum. Ranchi University, as a Guest Faculty, and started conducting several expeditions based on Ranchi and its winter land. When I completed my first work on Jharkhand during 2017 in the form of "Prehistory and Protohistory of Jharkhand" jointly with Dr. C.P. Sinha, I got a chance to observe its variability of culture in its Pre and Proto historic period. An approach to envisage the development of the culture from prehistoric period to protohistoric time was closely undertaken by me. Some of the polished stone tools and copper implements of that time reflected their artistic activities and creativities. They knew the technology of copper smelting in the remote past and shaped them in form of copper celts, bar celts, and anthropomorphic figurines. It is also beyond our imagination how they adopted such technology and skill during that remote past, especially on the older undulating landmass, which were covered with thick jungle, and in the present day still some places are not accessible for the modern human beings. However, probably their indigenous technology has passed generation by generation. In the time of early Historical or Late Medieval period, when rest of the sub-continent had reached the stage of urbanization or touched cultural or artistic sophistication, this region, still followed their indigenous culture. Natural barrier separated it from the culture of the rest part of India. And when the culture leached into this region they had mixed it with its indigenous culture. After mixing of both the cultures a new culture evolved, which we have found in form of material evidences, which is distinct in the form of its nature, skill, and technology. In this new culture, the theme was taken from the contemporary cultures that flourished in the rest part of India, but they shaped them with their indigenous technologies and skills by the help of the local artists. Though, I am not an Art Historian, but a few months ago, when visited the site Itkhori and went through its rich cultural materials, I got an idea about the artistic activities of this region. To enrich my knowledge and for getting a comprehensive idea, I focused on the remains which were collected from different parts of this region and now are stored in the State Archaeology Museum. This book is a vivid study of all the sculptures which are displayed in the State Museum, Ranchi. The images are carefully analysed with their artistic activities. They do not belong to a particular religion rather found in different pantheons. Their find spots are also corroborated with their respective pantheon. Though, it will not be possible to get a comprehensive idea about the artistic activities and the culture, embedded on it from these few images which were collected from a few places, but, through this book,an initiative has been taken to analyse these images properly with their manufacturing technique, so that an idea of the culture of early medial Jharkhand could be assumed.
**Contents and Sample Pages**
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