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Terracotta Figurines




🎨 Chapter 01 · Topic 04 · Visual Arts

Terracotta Figurines

IVC terracotta — mother goddess, animal figurines, toys; post-Harappan traditions; Mauryan and Sunga terracotta; regional terracotta traditions — complete UPSC & PSC notes.

🏺 Terracotta in the IVC

Terracotta (Italian: “baked earth”) refers to objects made from clay and fired at low temperatures. The IVC produced a rich tradition of terracotta art.

  • Mother Goddess figurines — most common; female figures with elaborate headdresses and jewellery; associated with fertility worship; found at Mohenjo-daro, Harappa, Kalibangan
  • Animal figurines — bulls, dogs, monkeys, birds, elephants; some with wheels (toy carts); show great naturalism
  • Toy carts — miniature carts with wheels; evidence of wheeled transport
  • Whistles and rattles — hollow bird-shaped objects; children’s toys
  • Masks — human and animal masks; possibly used in rituals
  • Technique: hand-modelled or mould-made; fired in kilns
⭐ Mother Goddess Figurines: The most numerous terracotta objects from the IVC are female figurines, often interpreted as representations of a Mother Goddess or fertility deity. They typically show: elaborate fan-shaped headdresses; heavy jewellery (necklaces, earrings, bangles); prominent breasts and hips; sometimes holding a child or lamp. These figurines suggest a widespread fertility cult in the IVC. Similar figurines are found across the ancient world.

📅 Post-Harappan Terracotta Traditions

PeriodCharacteristicsKey Sites/Examples
Painted Grey Ware (PGW) period (~1200–600 BCE)Terracotta figurines continue; animal figurines common; associated with Vedic cultureHastinapur, Ahichhatra, Mathura
Mauryan period (~322–185 BCE)High-quality mould-made figurines; Yaksha/Yakshi figures; more refined; urban centresPataliputra, Mathura, Taxila
Sunga period (~185–73 BCE)Prolific terracotta production; Yakshi figurines; narrative plaques; folk art traditionMathura, Kaushambi, Pataliputra
Kushana period (~1st–3rd CE)Terracotta plaques with Buddhist and Hindu themes; Mathura school influenceMathura, Taxila, Sarnath
Gupta period (~4th–6th CE)Refined figurines; classical style; Brahmanical and Buddhist themesAhichhatra, Rajghat, Mathura

🌍 Regional Terracotta Traditions

  • Bankura horse (West Bengal) — iconic terracotta horse; symbol of West Bengal; made by Panchmura artisans; GI-tagged
  • Molela terracotta (Rajasthan) — votive plaques of deities; made by Kumhar community; GI-tagged
  • Gorakhpur terracotta (UP) — folk figurines; animals and deities
  • Bishnupur terracotta temples (West Bengal) — temples built entirely of terracotta bricks with intricate carvings; Malla dynasty; 17th–18th century
  • Dhokra metal casting (Chhattisgarh/West Bengal) — lost-wax technique; tribal tradition; figurines of animals and deities
📌 Bishnupur Terracotta Temples: Located in Bankura district, West Bengal. Built by the Malla kings in the 17th–18th centuries. Famous temples include Rasmancha (1600 CE), Jorbangla Temple, Shyamrai Temple. The temples are built entirely of locally made terracotta bricks with intricate panels depicting scenes from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Krishna Leela. Bishnupur is a UNESCO tentative World Heritage Site.

✅ Revision Checklist — Terracotta Figurines

✅ Terracotta = baked earth = clay fired at low temperature
✅ IVC terracotta = mother goddess + animal figurines + toy carts + whistles
✅ Mother goddess = most common IVC terracotta = fertility worship
✅ Mauryan terracotta = mould-made = Yaksha/Yakshi figures
✅ Sunga terracotta = most prolific = Yakshi figurines = Mathura, Kaushambi
✅ Bankura horse = West Bengal = GI-tagged = Panchmura artisans
✅ Molela terracotta = Rajasthan = votive plaques = GI-tagged
✅ Bishnupur temples = West Bengal = Malla dynasty = 17th–18th century = terracotta bricks
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