Rise of Powerful Regional States after the Disintegration of the Gupta
• India: A Historical Overview [Asia Society]
Background reading about "the people and characteristics of India's historical eras, from the early Indus River Valley civilization, through the Mughal period to present day."
• South Asia, North, 500-1000 A.D. [Timeline of Art History, The Metropolitan Museum of Art]
"The religion that we now call Hinduism begins to take recognizable shape in this period and is patronized by the powerful regional kingdoms that rise up in the wake of Gupta power. Hindu temples dominate the physical and cultural landscape of dynamic urban centers, patronized by powerful kings and managed by Brahman priests. Buddhist and Jain centers also thrive. Islam enters the South Asian cultural and religious landscape with the arrival of traders and, later, invaders from the west." With a period overview, list of key events, and seven related artworks.
• South Asia, South, 500-1000 A.D. [Timeline of Art History, The Metropolitan Museum of Art]
"The religion that we now call Hinduism begins to take recognizable shape in this period and is patronized by the dynamic regional kingdoms—Pallava, Pandya, Chalukya, and Chola—that rise up in the wake of Gupta power. Temples are the focal point of both religious and social life, as regional rulers construct massive temple complexes that attest to the divine origins of their power on earth. Buddhism and Jainism also thrive. Tamil, used as a literary language from the beginning of the first millennium, is the primary medium of the early bhakti (devotional) poets of the south. These poets represent the beginnings of a powerful pan-Indian social and cultural orientation that transforms Indian religions into the next millennium." With a period overview, list of key events, and six related artworks.
Timeline • The Story of India: Ages of Gold [PBS]
Excellent annotated timeline with text, images, and video clips throughout.
Islam Enters Northwestern India, Early 8th Century
• The Religions of South Asia [Asia Society]
"From the earliest civilizations to modern-day practices, this essay introduces the complex and important role of religion in South Asian history and society."
• South Asian Art & Culture [Timeline of Art History, The Metropolitan Museum of Art]
An overview of South Asian art and culture, with an emphasis on the importance of various religions. With images of seven related sculptures.
• The Birth of Islam [Timeline of Art History, The Metropolitan Museum of Art]
An overview of early Islam. With images of five related artworks.
Chola Bronzes
• Bronze Sculpture of the Chola Period [Asia Society]
Images of bronze sculptures of The Cholas, who ruled much of South India, parts of Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and Indonesia from the 9th to 13th centuries and used these sculptures in religious rituals.
