Unit 6: Ancient Indian art - Practice Quiz

HIS291 — Ancient Indian History And Culture 52 Questions
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1 Which material was predominantly used in the Mathura School of Art during the Kushana period?

A. Spotted Red Sandstone
B. Blue Schist
C. Granite
D. White Marble

2 The Great Stupa at Sanchi was originally commissioned by which Emperor?

A. Pushyamitra Shunga
B. Kanishka
C. Chandragupta Maurya
D. Ashoka

3 Which of the following sites is situated along the Waghora river?

A. Ellora Caves
B. Ajanta Caves
C. Elephanta Caves
D. Bagh Caves

4 In the context of Stupa architecture at Sanchi, what does the term 'Harmika' refer to?

A. The circumambulatory path
B. The gateway
C. The hemispherical dome
D. The square railing box on top of the dome

5 The Bharhut Stupa is primarily associated with which dynasty?

A. Gupta
B. Shunga
C. Vakataka
D. Maurya

6 The painting of 'Bodhisattva Padmapani' is found in which cave of Ajanta?

A. Cave 2
B. Cave 16
C. Cave 1
D. Cave 17

7 Which school of art produced the first iconic images (anthropomorphic forms) of the Buddha?

A. Amaravati School
B. Mathura School
C. Sarnath School
D. Pala School

8 Where are the Bagh caves located?

A. Madhya Pradesh
B. Gujarat
C. Bihar
D. Maharashtra

9 The sculptures at Bharhut are most notable for their:

A. Narrative art and low relief
B. Use of marble
C. Greco-Roman influence
D. High relief and 3D realism

10 What is the primary religious theme of the Ajanta paintings?

A. Shaivism
B. Jainism
C. Hinduism (Vaishnavism)
D. Buddhism

11 The Mathura School of Art flourished primarily under the patronage of which rulers?

A. Satavahanas
B. Mauryas
C. Guptas
D. Kushanas

12 Which cave at Bagh is locally known as 'Rang Mahal'?

A. Cave 9
B. Cave 5
C. Cave 4
D. Cave 2

13 The Toranas (gateways) of Sanchi were likely funded by:

A. Royal treasury only
B. Collective donations from common people and guilds
C. Foreign diplomats
D. The Gupta Emperors

14 Which text contains the 'Chitrasutra', a treatise on the art of painting applicable to ancient Indian art?

A. Natyashastra
B. Vishnudharmottara Purana
C. Kamasutra
D. Shilpa Shastra

15 The headless statue of Emperor Kanishka found at Mathura depicts him wearing:

A. Central Asian boots and a long coat
B. Buddhist monk robes
C. Roman Toga
D. A Dhoti and Angavastra

16 How many caves constitute the Ajanta complex?

A. Approximately 30
B. Approximately 9
C. Approximately 100
D. Approximately 12

17 The portrayal of 'Maya Devi's Dream' is a famous relief found at which site?

A. Mahabalipuram
B. Bharhut
C. Elephanta
D. Ellora

18 Unlike Ajanta, the paintings at Bagh generally depict:

A. Only geometric patterns
B. Scenes from the Ramayana
C. More secular and worldly life scenes
D. Exclusively mythological demons

19 The 'Dying Princess' is a celebrated painting found in which Ajanta cave?

A. Cave 10
B. Cave 16
C. Cave 19
D. Cave 1

20 In the Mathura style, the halo (prabhamandala) around the Buddha's head is typically:

A. Absent
B. Plain and unadorned
C. Elaborately decorated with scallops
D. Square shaped

21 The Southern Gateway of Sanchi Stupa 1 features a relief of:

A. Shiva Nataraja
B. The war of Kalinga
C. Battle with Greeks
D. Ashoka visiting the Ramagrama Stupa

22 The technique used in Ajanta paintings is best described as:

A. Mosaic
B. Oil Painting
C. True Fresco (Buon Fresco)
D. Mural painting (Temper/Fresco-secco)

23 Which of the following figures is a characteristic feature of the Bharhut railings?

A. Bodhisattva Maitreya in blue schist
B. Nataraja
C. Yaksha and Yakshini
D. Tirthankaras

24 The Bagh caves are excavated on the banks of which river?

A. Bagh (Baghini)
B. Ganga
C. Godavari
D. Narmada

25 Which symbol was NOT used to represent Buddha in early art at Sanchi and Bharhut?

A. Footprints (Paduka)
B. Human Statue
C. Bodhi Tree
D. Empty Throne

26 The 'Kankali Tila' site in Mathura is primarily famous for yielding remains of which religion?

A. Buddhism
B. Vaishnavism
C. Jainism
D. Shaivism

27 In Sanchi Stupa 1, the relief of the 'Mahakapi Jataka' depicts the Buddha as:

A. An Elephant
B. A Monkey King
C. A Deer
D. A King

28 The Ajanta caves were rediscovered in 1819 by:

A. Alexander Cunningham
B. John Smith
C. James Prinsep
D. John Marshall

29 Mathura art is known for the production of 'Ayagapatas'. What are they?

A. Hindu temple pillars
B. Buddhist relic caskets
C. Coins issued by Kanishka
D. Jain votive tablets

30 Which Cave at Ajanta contains the famous 'Mahaparinirvana' (Reclining Buddha) sculpture?

A. Cave 19
B. Cave 10
C. Cave 26
D. Cave 1

31 The 'Shadanga' or Six Limbs of Indian Art includes 'Lavanya Yojana', which means:

A. Infusion of grace/artistic beauty
B. Simulation of reality
C. Use of brush
D. Rules of proportion

32 The remains of the Bharhut Stupa are largely preserved in:

A. The British Museum
B. National Museum, New Delhi
C. Sanchi Site Museum
D. Indian Museum, Kolkata

33 In Mathura art, the Buddha is often depicted sitting on a lion throne. What is this posture called?

A. Padmasana
B. Simhasana
C. Pralambapadasana
D. Lalitasana

34 The earlier phase of Ajanta caves (e.g., Cave 9 and 10) belongs to which period?

A. Shunga
B. Gupta-Vakataka
C. Maurya
D. Satavahana

35 What is the 'Anda' in the structure of a Stupa?

A. The Hemispherical Dome
B. The Gateway
C. The Railing
D. The Umbrella

36 Which of the following is NOT a feature of the Mathura Buddha image?

A. Greek facial features
B. Right hand in Abhaya Mudra
C. Shaven head or snail-shell curls (Kaparda)
D. Left hand resting on the thigh or holding the robe

37 The paintings of Bagh are stylistically most similar to:

A. Ajanta Paintings
B. Pala Miniatures
C. Mughal Paintings
D. Rajput Paintings

38 Who provided the ivory carvers who worked on the Sanchi Stupa gateway?

A. Artisans from Mathura
B. Traders from Rome
C. Guild of Vidisha
D. Monks from Sri Lanka

39 The Bharhut railings contain inscriptions in which script?

A. Devanagari
B. Brahmi
C. Greek
D. Kharosthi

40 The Vakataka king Harishena is associated with the patronage of which site?

A. Bharhut Stupa
B. Ajanta Caves (Later Phase)
C. Sanchi Stupa
D. Mathura Sculptures

41 The 'Chhatra' on top of the Stupa symbolizes:

A. The monastic order
B. The cycle of life and death
C. Royalty and protection (Dharma)
D. The four noble truths

42 At Mathura, sculptures of Yakshas were found that served as prototypes for:

A. Stupa architecture
B. Rock-cut caves
C. Later images of Buddha and Bodhisattvas
D. Coin designs

43 The ceiling of Cave 1 at Ajanta is famous for painting depictions of:

A. Portraits of kings
B. Battles
C. Maps of the world
D. Decorative geometric and floral motifs

44 Which Jataka tale depicts the Buddha as a six-tusked elephant?

A. Chhaddanta Jataka
B. Vessantara Jataka
C. Hamsa Jataka
D. Mahakapi Jataka

45 The Bagh caves predominantly belong to which religious sect?

A. Mahayana Buddhism
B. Digambara Jainism
C. Shaivism
D. Hinayana Buddhism

46 The sculptural art of Bharhut is best described as 'aniconic'. What does this mean?

A. No religious figures are depicted
B. Only animals are depicted
C. Buddha is represented in human form
D. Buddha is represented through symbols

47 Which color was largely absent in the paintings of Ajanta?

A. Yellow Ochre
B. Red Ochre
C. Lamp Black
D. Blue (Lapis Lazuli)

48 The blue pigment used in Ajanta paintings was obtained from:

A. Copper sulphate
B. Cobalt
C. Lapis Lazuli
D. Indigo

49 The 'Salabhanjika' motif found at Sanchi Toranas represents:

A. A woman holding a tree branch
B. A meditating monk
C. A dancing peacock
D. A warrior with a sword

50 Which of the following sites has a circular Chaitya hall?

A. Ellora
B. Bagh
C. Junnar (Tulja Lena)
D. Ajanta

51 Stupa No. 3 at Sanchi contained the relics of:

A. Ananda and Upali
B. Gautama Buddha
C. Ashoka
D. Sariputta and Mahamoggallana

52 The 'Vessantara Jataka' painted at Ajanta narrates the story of:

A. A monkey saving a hunter
B. A lion and a jackal
C. A bird preaching dharma
D. A king who gave away everything