E-Book

Terracotta

By
Tamarapu Sampath Kumaran

About the Author

Mr T Sampath Kumaran is a freelance writer. He regularly contributes

articles on Management, Business, Ancient Temples, and Temple
Architecture to many leading Dailies and Magazines.
His articles are popular in The Young World section of THE HINDU.
His e-books on nature, environment and different cultures of people
around the world are educative and of special interest to the young.
He was associated in the production of two Documentary films on Nava
Tirupathi Temples, and Tirukkurungudi Temple in Tamilnadu.

Acknowledgement:
I wish to express my gratitude to the authors from whose works I
gathered the details for this book, Courtesy, Google for the photographs.
- Tamarapu Sampath Kumaran

Terracotta or terra-cotta is "baked earth", from the Latin word terra

cotta, a type of earthen ware, of clay-based where the fired body is
porous. These items are normally made on a potters wheel.

Terracotta is a form of clay or glazed clay that is used to make figurines

and idols. Terracotta usage dates back to the times of history, where
terracotta made articles are termed as pottery without the usage of
potters. You may find terracotta architecture from Greek to Roman
mythology, from Arabic to Chinese architecture. But due to the
advancements of technology terracotta has been subsequently replaced
by many materials such as cement, plaster of Paris, plastics, ceramics in
making many objects such as roof tiles, toys , idols, accessories and
many more.
Terracotta female figurines were uncovered by archaeologists in
excavations of Mohenjo-Daro (3000-1500 BC). Along with phallusshaped stones, these suggest some sort of fertility cult and a belief in a
mother goddess.

The ancient Greeks Tanagra figurines were mass-produced mold-cast

and fired terracotta figurines. Significant uses of terracotta include
the Burney Relief, from Ancient Mesopotamia of about 1950 BC., and
Emperor Qin Shi Huangs Terracotta Army of China, built in 209
210 BC., which are outstanding terracotta plaques.
Precolonial West African sculpture also made extensive use of
terracotta. The regions most recognized for producing terracotta art in
that part of the world include the Nok culture of central and northcentral Nigeria which excelled in terracotta pottery.
French sculptor Albert-Ernest Carrier Belleuse made many terracotta
pieces and possibly the most famous is The Abduction of
Hippodameia depicting the Greek mythological scene of a centaur
kidnapping Hippodameia on her wedding day.

The remarkable 2,000-year-old

terracotta figures from the tomb of China's first emperor, Qin
Shihuangdi, is one of the greatest archaeological discoveries in the
world. The tomb holds the secrets of China's first emperor, Qin Shi
Huang, who died on Sept. 10, 210 B.C., after conquering six warring
states to create the first unified nation of China.

When he died, Qin Shi Huang was buried in the

most opulent tomb complex ever constructed in China, a sprawling citysize collection of underground caverns containing everything the
emperor would need for the afterlife. The ancient Chinese, along with
many cultures including ancient Egyptians, believed that items and even
people buried with a person could be taken with him to the afterlife.
More than 6000 life-sized terra cotta warriors, Archers, infantrymen,
horses and bronze chariots silently guarded the tomb of China's First
Emperor, for over 2,200 years. This seven-story pagoda was initially
constructed in 652 AD, and a larger team of scholars was organized here
for translation of the Buddhist sutras brought back from India and it
became a holy place for pilgrimages. Buried deep under a hill in central
China, surrounded by an underground moat of poisonous mercury, laid
an entombed emperor who's been undisturbed for more than two
millennia.
But instead of burying his armies, concubines, administrators and
servants with him, the Qin emperor came up with alternative clayreproductions. Even though they number in the thousands, each
terracotta soldier has painstakingly detailed armor, facial features, hair
and clothing.
Even during ancient times, people of Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa also
used terracotta in their fashion, consisting of bead necklaces, bracelets,
hangings and many more. Terracotta made pots and vases can also be
used as showcase pieces.

The art of handling of clay called Pottery was one of the earliest skills
known to the Indians. From time immemorial, lumps of clay were hand
-molded to form toys and deities of worship. The advent of the Potter's
wheel gave man the task of making beautifully shaped pots for his
personal use. The movement of the wheel and the pressure exerted by
the hands on the clay gives new shapes and forms.
Kangra and Andreta in Himachal Pradesh, Pokhran in Rajasthan, Meerut
and Harpur in Uttar Pradesh, Kanpur in Maharastra, Kutch in Gujarat,
Jahjjar in Haryana, Birbhum in Bengal and Manipur are famous for their
special styles in pottery. Each region has its own specialty. Kangra is
noted for black pottery, which resembles the Harappan pottery style.
Pokhran has stylized forms with incised decorative patterns. Kanpur
makes thin pottery with incised designs. Meerut and Jhajjar make slim
necked water containers called surahis. These are half -turned and half
-molded and have a variety of patterns and designs. Kutch is famous for
pots, terracotta horses and elephants. The pots are made for different
occasions like marriages, death, etc.

Nizamabad in Uttar Pradesh is noted for black

pottery with silver patterns worked in it. This is similar to the Bidar
work of Andhra where oxidized gunmetal is inlaid with silver wire.
The rural parts of India commonly display terracotta animal figures in
places of worship or under the mango or papal trees in the vicinity of
temples. The potters mostly do the terracotta figures. In some parts of
Indian villages, the women folk create their own forms of Gods for
worship and other decorative pieces for adorning their houses. In India,
the making of Glazed pottery came into being with the advent of the
Arab influence in India. Only a few centers in India are known for its
production. Glazed pottery with white background and blue and green
patterns is developed in Delhi, Amritsar, Jaipur, Khurja, Chunar and
Rampur in Uttar Pradesh, and Karigari in Tamilnadu. Delhi, Khurja and
Jaipur are known for the famed Blue Pottery. This does not involve the
usage of clay. First, the basic forms are created and then they are painted
on the surface. Then it is covered with finely In Bihar, Bengal and
Gujarat, during festivals, the women prepare clay figures to propitiate
their Gods and Goddesses.
The relief- worked plague of Moela in Rajasthan has a distinct style.
Here on flat surface local deities are created with molded clay. They are
then fired and then painted brilliant colors.

Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh has villages where clay figures of animals are
done. The potter creates the basic form by throwing separate pieces on the
wheel and then joining them. Gujarat also has votive figures like horses
with riders, etc.
Tamilnadu is famous for the terracotta figures of the Aiyanar Deity. The
figures are huge and they are found standing guard at the entrances of
villages protecting the insiders from evil spirits.

In South India, mainly in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu,
there is a practice and a tradition of placing toys and idols in a
meaningful way to form an order known as Koluvu in the native
tongue of the states. In olden days, they used to make Koluvu mostly
with wooden and clay idols. Madurai, a place in Tamil Nadu is famous
for terracotta idols of all shapes and colours.

Dussehra brings joy and happiness, but also brings pollution in its wake.
Durga idols are made in a special way, the way Kolkata artists make

them traditionally. Kolkata artists make the idols grand by great looking
plastic jewellery and heavy crowns, making the idols grand. But
according to the myth the idols are immersed in water. When immersed
in water, the heavy plastic jewellery and crown cause water pollution by
stopping the sunlight entering the water and suffocating the water
animals.

So by using terracotta in making idols of Durga and even the jewellery

present on the idol, we may stop this kind of water pollution. So it
would be so helpful if we switch to terracotta idols. Which do not cause
any pollution, easy to disintegrate when immersed in water; also they
provide an income for the terracotta artisans.
Even it is also a fashion icon. People use earrings and necklaces made
up of terracotta these days to add some funky look to their fashion styles

The point of genesis of many of Indians artistic expressions is the Earth.

While its fertile soils yield forests of wood and from its depths are
extracted rich ores of metal, the very soil itself is pliant enough to be
molded into pleasing three dimensional forms, giving rise to terracotta

pottery. The crafted objects are attributed with meaning deeper than
expressed through their physical form, a traditions extended to all
handicrafts created by the peoples of this land. Votive terracotta is
representative of their ritualistic aspect of tribals life, symbolizing their
fears and aspirations. Shaped and molded both by hand as well as on the
potters wheel, the animal and bird figures represent the ethos of the
ancient cultural stages of human life.
The custom of making life-size, some items even gigantic, figures of
characters related to the life story of Krishna is widely prevalent in the
Chhattisgarh region. These figures are crafted from clay, Grass and
bamboo sticks and are painted with water-colours. The huge idols from
an essential part of the folk-drama, rahas or raasleela, the dance of
Krishna and gopis, cow-herd maidens, performed by the Satnami
community of the Bilaspur region. During the enactments of rahas, up to
105 figures are made the figure of Bhimsen, the Pandava hero from the
Mahabharata, are the tallest, and stand about 15 mts. High.
In the month of Srawan (July-August), on Hariyali Amavas or Poli
Amavas, the tribes of the Chhatisgarh region celebrate Pola Parva, a
festival that symbolizes the agricultural traditions of the region. While
oxen are worshipped, it is also customary to offer pola-baila, a bullock
and bendri, the she-monkey with child, at the village shrine, Once
offered, these votive figures affixed with wheels are given away to
children as play things. According to the customs prevalent in this
region, it is compulsory for children to play with these idols. Later when
these idols break or shatter, they are put away on roof-tops.
These area of Surguja and Raigarh are prominent for the concentration
or the tribal population, which the main Oraon, Pando, Kanwar, Birhor
and Rajwar being principal amongst them. Besides the potter, the people

of the Oraon and Rajwar tribes make their own roof tiles with bird and
animal forms affixed to it. The Rajwars of the area are renowned for
their beautiful Jaali, attic, and work. The jaali is decorated with unbaked
clay figurines. The houses of this region are fine examples of aesthetic
splendour. The Rajwar women are adept in ornamental relief-work on
their hut walls. The process of lattice-making involves imagination and
planning. A bamboo frame is made by fixing fine bamboo sticks
together. Around this frame paddy hay is wrapped. A mixture of brown
and black clay, sand and husk is prepared by sprinkling water on it. It is
allowed to soak overnight and the next day various animal and human
figures are molded from this mixture and affixed to the frames. These
figures are dried and colored with white chalk, ocher, blue and green and
the motifs are flowers and leaves. Animal and bird figures and intricate
geometrical designs form an incoherent part of their artistic repertoire.
The terracotta art of the tribal regions of India might appear to be quite
crude and simple, but the forms created and passed on from generation
to generation by the potter are the result of the merging of many needssocio- religious, functional, aesthetic, symbolic and environmental. Each
shape is functional and carefully conceived to embody utility, comfort,
self-expression and spiritual fulfillment.