Study of architecture.

During The Sixth Century A.D., The Two Great Empires-Those Of The Chalukyas Of Badami And The Pallavas Of Kanchi In The Decan And South India, Respectively, Have Ushered In An Era Of Vigorous Temple Building Activity, Reflecting In Its Mores The Mingling Of Forms And Ideals. Andhradesa Which Came Under Chalukyan Control Witnessed The Growth Of Alampur As A Great Art Center Of Seminal Importance. Following The Innovative Trends Initiated At Alampur And Perhaps Under The Guidance Of The Alampur Guild, Temples Were Raised At Kudaveli, Mahanandi, Panyam, Satyavou And Kadamarakalava. The Unique Feature Of The Architectural Form Is Its Kinship With The Nagara Temple Form; The Temple Of Dravidian Style Is A Lone Exception. This Monograph, For The First Time, Presents An Exhaustive Documentation Of Morphological Data Of The Temples At Alampur, Kudaveli, Mahanandi, Satyavolu, Panyam And Kadamarakalava. Analysis Of Architectural Form And Ornament Has Been Done In A Detailedmanner Emphasizing The Impact Of The Traditions Of Madhyadesa, Kosala And Vidarbha In Contradistinction To The Centers Of Karnata, I.E., Aihole And Pattadakal. Sculpture Has Also Received Close Attention, Emphasizing The Art-Form And Feeling. An Assessment Of These Structures Both In Time And In Space Has Been Systematically Attempted In This Monography. Adequate Photographic Illustrations Illuminate The Text.

This handsomely illustrated volume explores the medieval Deccani temple complexes at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Pattadakal, with careful attention to their makers. The vibrant red sandstone temples of India's Deccan Plateau, such as the Pattadakal temple cluster, have attracted visitors since the eighth century or earlier. A UNESCO World Heritage Site and the coronation place of the Chalukya dynasty, Pattadakal and its neighboring sites are of major historical importance. In Shiva's Waterfront Temples, Subhashini Kaligotla situates these buildings in the cosmopolitan milieu of Deccan India and considers how their makers and awestruck visitors would have seen them in their day. Kaligotla reconstructs how architects and builders approached the sites, including their use of ornamentation, responsiveness to courtly values such as pleasure and play, and ingenious juxtaposition of the first millennium's Nagara and Dravida aesthetics, a blend largely unique to Deccan plateau architecture. With over 130 color illustrations, this original book elucidates the Deccan's special place in the lexicon of medieval South Asian architecture.

A critical rethinking of the way canons are defined, constructed, dismantled, and revised. A century ago, all art was evaluated through the lens of European classicism and its tradition. This volume explores and questions the foundations of the European canon, offers a critical rethinking of ancient and classical art, and interrogates the canons of cultures and regions that have often been left at the margins of art history. It underscores the historical and geographical diversity of canons and the local values underlying them. Twelve international scholars consider how canons are constructed and contested, focusing on the relationship between canonical objects and the value systems that shape their hierarchies. Deploying an array of methodologies—including archaeological investigations, visual analysis, and literary critique—the authors examine canon formation throughout the world, including Africa, India, East Asia, Mesoamerica, South America, ancient Egypt, classical Greece, and Europe. Global studies of art, which are dismantling the traditionally Eurocentric canon, promise to make art history more inclusive. But enduring canons cannot be dismissed. This volume raises new questions about the importance of canons—including those from outside Europe—for the wider discipline of art history.

In our age of globalization and multiculturalism, it has never been more important to understand and appreciate all cultures across the world. The four volumes take a step forward in this endeavour by presenting concise information on those regions least well-known to students across Europe: the Middle East, Asia and Africa. The volumes convey what daily life is like for people in these selected regions. Entries will aid readers in understanding the importance of cultural sociology, to appreciate the effects of cultural forces around the world, and to learn the history of countries and cultures within these important regions. Key Features -Topics are explored within historical context, in three broad historical periods: prehistory to 1250, 1250 to 1920 and 1920 to the present. -One volume each is devoted to the regions of the Middle East and Africa and then one volume to East and Southeast Asia and a final volume to West, Central and South Asia. The volumes include extensive use of photographs and maps to explain cultural and geographic content. -Each volume has its own volume editor with expertise in that particular region. Key Themes Arts, Culture and Science People, Society and Dynasties Religion and Law Family and Daily Life Conflicts and Wars Politics and Government Health and Education Economy, Trade and Industry National Geography and History.

The present book draws attention to the institutional basis of medieval sectarianism and shows that the temples and monasteries became, in the hands of a powerful priesthood, effective means of religious control and publicity. It highlights the increasing patronage extended by heterogeneous social ranks including the landed gentry, moneyed bureaucrats and traders to these institutions. This changed them into big employers and encouraged the growth of feudal ties and manorial interests which the priest of a temple or the superior of a monastery tried to preserve and perpetuate on a hereditary basis.