- During their rule in South India from 2nd century B.C. to 2nd Century A.D Satavahana studded their empire with several splendid monuments.
- The school of Buddhist art belonging to Satavahanas was known as the Amaravati School of Art. Features of Amaravati School of Art:
- In the Satavahana phase, many Chaityas and Viharas were cut out of the solid rocks. The most famous of them is Amaravati and Nagarjunakonda.
- Ashokan Stupas were enlarged, the earlier bricks & woodwork being replaced with stone works. The most famous of these monuments are the stupas,
- Most famous among them being the Amravati Stupa & the Nagarjunakonda Stupa.
- It is named after the renowned Buddhist Monk Nagarjuna (the famous Buddhist scholar and the contriver of Mahayana Buddhism) who imparted his summons over here.
Fig: Nagarjunakonda Stupa, Andhra Pradesh
Fig: Amaravati Stupa, Andhra Pradesh
- The stupas at Amaravati are predominantly made of a distinctive white marble.
- Amravati is full of sculptures depicting various scenes from the life of Buddha.
- At Amravati, there is a beautiful scene showing Buddha’s feet being worshipped.
- Secular images were also made in the form of female images, trees, animals, and birds.
- Sculptures at Amaravati have a profound and quiet naturalism in human, animal, and floral forms.
- Popular and famous Chaitya Hall built at Karle is another example of the magnificence of Satavahana Sculptures. The human figures are slender & slightly elongated.
- Eroticism is also a predominant feature of these Satavahana sculptures.
- White marble was extensively used for making images.
- There are few Jataka scenes such as the Shibi, Nalagiri and Chhadanta Jatakas.
- Amaravati school had started the practice of depicting the Buddha as a divine being & receiving worship.
- Satavahana rulers are remarkable for their contributions to Buddhist art & architecture. They reflected the best and supreme quality in each area of cave temples & architecture.
