Deck 10: Art of South and Southeast Asia Before 1200

Question 1

What feature of Bodhisattvas distinguishes them from images of the Buddha?

A) the use of specific mudras
B) their elongated earlobes
C) their princely garb and jewelry
D) their body visible through a clinging robe

Answer 1

C

Question 2

How does the statue of Shiva Nataraja signify the universe's cycle of death and rebirth?

A) The representation of Shiva's dance
B) The symbols in his hands
C) The circular framework around the figure
D) All of the above

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Which of the following statements does NOT apply to BOTH Hindu and Buddhist temples in India?

A) The design is based on a mandala plan.
B) Narrative relief carvings are used to depict religious history and beliefs.
C) Followers believe that god(s) inhabit(s) the structure.
D) There is a symbolic axis mundi.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

The two general Hindu temple types in India are the __________ and the __________.

A) monumental; intimate
B) eastern; western
C) northern; southern
D) Palluva; Chola

Question 5

The erotic sculptures decorating the Kandariya Mahadeva are thought to express__________.

A) Shiva's divine bliss
B) a ritual ceremony
C) Shiva's consorts
D) human lust

Question 6

How does the nude male torso found at Harappa forecast essential attributes of later Indian sculpture?

A) its small intimate scale
B) the sensuous emphasis on the body
C) the use of nudity
D) the removable arts and head

Question 7

The Kandariya Mahadeva Temple, Khajuraho is built of stone blocks using __________ construction.

A) corbelled arch
B) post-and-lintel
C) barrel and groin vault
D) waddle-and-daub

Question 8

The earliest depictions of the Buddha himself developed during the Kushan period when ____________Buddhism first emerged.

A) Pure Land
B) Esoteric
C) Mahayana
D) Theravada

Question 9

Stories of the Buddha's past lives are called _________ tales.

A) toranas
B) mandapas
C) garbhagriha
D) jataka

Question 10

Metaphysical texts written during the __________period gave rise to the philosophical concepts of samsara, Brahman, and atman, which greatly inform Hindu and Buddhist beliefs.

A) Indus-Valley
B) Vedic
C) Mauryan
D) Gupta

Question 11

In the Lion Capital from Sarnath , the animals represent the __________ of the world mentioned in Buddhist creation myths.

A) four great rulers
B) four great temples of Sarnath
C) four Buddhas of the earth
D) four great rivers

Question 12

The Indus Valley civilization thrived around the same time as ___________________.

A) Etruscan culture
B) Old Kingdom Egypt
C) Classical Greece
D) Imperial Rome

Question 13

The garbhagriha in Hindu temples is ______________where a statue of the temple's main god is kept.

A) a windowless space
B) a light-filled chamber
C) a tower
D) a covered porch

Question 14

A __________ or "fully enlightened being," sees the ultimate nature of the world and is no longer subject to the cycle of samsara.

A) buddha
B) chakravartin
C) yakshis
D) bodhisattva

Question 15

_____________are used in Buddhist and Hindu art as physical expressions of different states of being.

A) Mudras
B) erotic figures
C) Mithuna
D) yakshi

Question 16

Which symbol is NOT used to represent the Buddha?

A) a lion
B) a chakra
C) a linga
D) a footprint

Question 17

Which of the following is NOT a feature of the Indus Valley site of Mohenjo-Daro?

A) a large pool, perhaps for public bathing or ritual function
B) a city plan based on a grid of wide avenues and narrow streets
C) multi-family dwellings in three- and four-story structures
D) a network of covered drainage systems for waste and rainwater

Question 18

The relief carvings that fill large central panels surrounding the garbhagriah at the Temple of Vishnu at Deogarh ___________________.

A) use symbols and abstract form to convey their meaning
B) present a dramatic narrative of the gods in superhuman form
C) provide iconic images of Vishnu in all his forms for veneration
D) serve as political propaganda in their references to Gupta rulers

Question 19

What monumental form is a fundamental element of Buddhist worship?

A) the shikhara
B) the stupa
C) the garbhagriha
D) the chaitya

Question 20

In addition to their carved imagery and inscriptions, Ashokan pillars conveyed symbolic meaning through their form as _______.

A) a flag-bearing standard
B) geographic markers within the Mauryan empire
C) a stupa
D) an axis mundi

Question 21

What visible characteristic distinguishes Gandhara sculptures of the Buddha?

A) the ushnisha
B) the use of red sandstone
C) the clearly defined folds in the robe
D) all of the above

Question 22

Jataka tales of the Buddha's past lives are organized according to ____________on the toranas of the Great Stupa at Sanchi .

A) where they occurred
B) importance of lesson
C) chronological order
D) alphabetical order

Question 23

The mast that extends from the dome of the Great Stupa at Shanchi serves as a symbolic _______________.

A) temple
B) axis mundi
C) circumambulatory
D) niche

Question 24

Which religious monument contains sacred relics?

A) Temple of Shiva, Elephanta
B) Great Stupa, Sanchi
C) Vishnu Temple, Deaogarh
D) All of the above

Question 25

________are Buddhist religious monuments that frequently hold sacred relics and are venerated through circumambulation.

A) Temples
B) Viharas
C) Amalakas
D) Stupas

Question 26

The rock-cut relief Descent of the Ganges is probably meant to ________________.

A) serve as an allegory of the king's benevolence
B) teach Hindu beliefs through dramatic narratives representing the gods
C) provide a focus for meditation and ritual devotion
D) record a historical event

Question 27

At the Rajarajeshvara Temple , the significance of the axis mundi is reiterated by the _______________which is the exact same size as the garbhagriha housed below it.

A) shikhara
B) capstone
C) mandapa
D) umbrellas

Question 28

The Eternal Shiva at the Temple at Elephanta conveys the range of Shiva's powers through the naturalistic presentation of ___________.

A) a figure with multiple heads and arms
B) a four-armed figure
C) a three-headed figure
D) a five-headed figure

Question 29

Which of the following is NOT true of statues of Hindu gods?

A) The god is believed to inhabit the sculpture
B) It must be made of metal
C) It must conform to a specific canon of proportions
D) It may be either symbolic or anthropomorphic

Question 30

As a symbol of the generosity of the gods, the Female Figure Holding a Fly Wisk reflects Mauryan society's ideal of upholding _____________.

A) shakra
B) mundi
C) dharma
D) brahma

Question 31

Buddhist monastic communities made two types of rock-cut halls; one was called the __________, used for the monks' living quarters, and the other was the __________, which meant "sanctuary."

A) shikhara; amalaka
B) mandapas; plinth
C) vihara; chaitya
D) torana; garbhagriha

Question 32

A___________ in the apse of the Chaitya Hall at Karle is the focus of veneration.

A) colossal statue of Buddha
B) fresco of Buddha surrounded by Bodhisattva images
C) stupa
D) torana

Question 33

Angkor Wat in Cambodia is _______________.

A) a monumental Buddhist site, conceived as a mandala in three dimensions
B) a royal complex of structures dedicated to the worship of Vishnu
C) a focal point for the preservation of traditions, texts, and practices of Theravada Buddhism
D) the site of three colossal statues of the Buddha

Question 34

The bodhisattva in the wall painting of Cave 1 in Ajanta is identified as Avalokiteshvara through the __________________.

A) lotus flower in his hand
B) princely garments
C) distinctive headdress
D) use of color

Question 35

The Female Figure Holding a Fly Whisk is characteristic of Mauryan period sculpture in the ______________.

A) figure's fleshy sensuality
B) high polished sandstone
C) representation of a yakshi figure
D) all of the above

Question 36

Reflective of the bhakti movement in art, the painting of Rajaraja I and his teacher expresses________________.

A) the king's political power and divine right to rule
B) religious and worldly models united in their devotion to Shiva
C) the subservient role of the king to religious leaders
D) the increased influence of Islam on Hindu religious practice

Question 37

The earliest civilization of South Asia was nurtured in the __________ River.

A) Indus
B) Ganges
C) Narmada
D) Tapti

Question 38

Which of the following is NOT an example of one of the Buddha's lakshanas?

A) the urna
B) the mudra
C) the ushnisha
D) elongated earlobes

Question 39

The colossal sculpture Parinirvana of the Buddha at Gal Vihara is composed of durable_________________, which helps to preserve this statue over time.

A) basalt
B) sandstone
C) marble
D) granite

Question 40

The railings that surround the Great Stupa at Sanchi mark a path for the Buddhist devotional practice of _______________.

A) private meditation
B) ritual offerings
C) chanting
D) circumambulation

Question 41

Which religion does NOT have a cave devoted to it at the Kailasha Temple at Ellora ?

A) Buddhism
B) Jainism
C) Zoroastrianism
D) Hinduism

Question 42

Why are there different artistic styles in the South Asian subcontinent?

Question 43

__________ are enlightened beings who postpone nirvana and buddhahood to help others achieve enlightenment.

A) Yogis
B) Priests
C) Bodhisattvas
D) Ministers

Question 44

The Chaitya Hall at Karle utilizes ______________construction methods for the cave roof.

A) post-and-lintel
B) barrel-vault
C) corbelled
D) composite

Question 45

The Temple of Vishnu at Deogarh is an example of a __________style temple.

A) southern
B) eastern
C) western
D) northern

Question 46

The Mathura style of Buddhist sculpture evolved from representations of indigenous male nature deities called _________.

A) mudras
B) katras
C) bodhisattvas
D) yakshas

Question 47

The shape of the cave-temple of Shiva at Elephanta form overlapping __________that create a symmetric yet irregular space.

A) mandalas
B) squares
C) triangles
D) plateaus

Question 48

What might the lion on the Lion Capital represent?

Question 49

The relief of Vishnu on the Cosmic Waters the Temple of Vishnu at Deogarh illustrates the Hindu story of ____________.

A) rebirth
B) creation
C) procreation
D) destruction

Question 50

There are 32 ____________that distinguish the Buddha, some of which are reflected in the iconography.

A) lakshanas
B) mudras
C) bakti
D) toranas

Question 51

How does the art of the Maurya period reflect an age of heroes?

Question 52

What is a stupa and what are its primary physical characteristics?

Question 53

The Yakshi Bracket Figure is carved using what material?

A) sandstone
B) marble
C) salt stone
D) granite

Question 54

Eternal Shiva at the Temple of Shiva at Elephanta is an example of what type of relief?

A) rock-cut relief
B) mountain-cut relief
C) clay relief
D) wood-cut relief

Question 55

In 2001, the Taliban destroyed two colossal statues of Buddha carved from the rock of a cliff in ____________.

A) Pakistan
B) Afghanistan
C) Uzbekistan
D) India

Question 56

How did Siddhartha Gautama reach enlightenment?

Question 57

The Palace site of Sigiriya is located on a plateau in what country?

A) Cambodia
B) Laos
C) Vietnam
D) Sri Lanka

Question 58

What are the two styles of sculpture that appear in the ancient Indus civilization?

Question 59

The garbhagriha, or "womb chamber," in Hindu temples is a darkened space where the ____________is housed.

A) plinth
B) vimana
C) sacred image
D) shikhara

Question 60

Why did Ashoka erect monuments to Buddha?

Question 61

What was the bhakti movement in Hinduism and how is it reflected in art?

Question 62

What is depicted on the entrance to the Temple of Vishnu at Deogarth ?

Question 63

What do toranas symbolize?

Question 64

How does the Great Stupa at Sanchi represent the central Indian type of stupa?

Question 65

What were the three separate schools of Buddhist sculpture that developed during the Kushana period and how did their representations differ?

Question 66

What types of rock-cut halls were created by the Buddhist monastic community, and what was the use of each of the halls?

Question 67

How are Hindu monuments different from Buddhist monuments?

Question 68

What brought Buddhism and Hinduism to Southeast Asia?

Question 69

How would you compare and contrast the northern and southern style temple?

Question 70

How does the southern style of Hindu temples differ from the northern style?

Question 71

What are the distinguishing characteristics of the two Gupta Buddhist schools of artistic thought?

Question 72

Explain the iconography and cultural significance of Shiva Nataraja?

Question 73

Why did the Gandhara and Amaravati schools eventually decline?

Question 74

Why is the Kandariya Mahadeva a monumental northern temple?

Question 75

Why is the Rajarajeshvara Temple a monumental southern style temple?

Question 76

What do the wall paintings at Rajarajeshvara Temple represent?

Question 77

How do representations of Buddha differ throughout South and Southeast Asia?

Question 78

How would one compare the Prakhon Chai style with the Dvaravati style in Thailand?