Srinivasan, Sharada (2004) Shiva as 'cosmic dancer':on Pallava origins of the Nataraja bronze. World Archaeology, 36 (3). pp. 432-450. ISSN 1470-1375
![[img]](http://eprints.nias.res.in/style/images/fileicons/application_pdf.png) |
PDF
shivacosmicdancer.pdf - Published Version Restricted to Registered users only Download (668kB) |
| Contribution | Name |
|---|
| Abstract: | This paper explores the origins of the Nataraja cult in the state of Tamil Nadu in southern India. The trajectory of the dancing Shiva is traced: from the processional worship of metal icons outside the sanctum to the cultic elevation of the Nataraja bronze into the sanctum at Chidambaram. Archaeometallurgical, iconographic and literary evidence discussed shows that the Nataraja bronze, depicting Shiva’s anandatandava or ‘dance of bliss’, was a Pallava innovation (seventh to mid-ninth century), rather than tenth-century Chola as widely believed. That this formulation was informed of ‘cosmic’ or metaphysical connotations is also argued on the basis of the testimony of the hymns of Tamil saints. |
|---|---|
| Item Type: | Journal Paper |
| Additional Information: | Copyright belongs to the Publisher |
| Keywords: | Nataraja; Shiva; bronze; Pallava; cosmic dance; archaeometallurgy; Tamil poems. |
| Subjects: | School of Humanities > Archaeology |
| Divisions: | Schools > Humanities |
| Date Deposited: | 21 Oct 2011 10:11 |
| Last Modified: | 08 May 2015 09:51 |
| Official URL: | http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/1468936... |
| Related URLs: | |
| Funders: | UNSPECIFIED |
| Projects: | UNSPECIFIED |
| DOI: | 10.1080/1468936042000282726821 |
| URI: | http://eprints.nias.res.in/id/eprint/238 |
Actions (login required)
 |
View Item |
