Ashmolean Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

From AD 600 onwards, many regional kingdoms flourished across north and central India, from Kashmir in the north-west to Uttar Pradesh in the east. Most of the ruling dynasties favoured Hinduism and were active patrons of temple architecture and sculpture. Jainism also became well established in Gujarat and Rajasthan in the west.

During this period a wide variety of styles of sculpture arose, as can be seen below. All derived in some degree from the classic Gupta tradition (AD 300-500), though with distinct regional variations. New and more complex images of the deities were also developed. This period of creativity lasted until around 1200 when Muslim invaders from Central Asia began to occupy northern India.

Kashmir and the northwest

Figure of Shiva the Great Lord (EA2013.69)   Figure of Brahma, god of creation (EA1995.114)   Head of Shiva as an ascetic (EA1995.91)   Head of Narasimha Avatar (EA2013.68)

Figure of Surya, the Sun god (EA1986.2)   Shivalinga (EA2013.91)   Figure of Vishnu with two attendant figures (EA1995.90)   Stone plaque of Narasimha slaying the demon Hiranyakashipu (EA1996.78)

Figure of Ganesha (EA2013.73)   Figure of Parvati (EA2013.90)   Figure of Narasimha eviscerating Hiranyakashipu (EA2013.92)   Figure of Shiva (EA2013.89)

Durga slays the Buffalo-demon (EAOS.64)   Head of Vishnu (EA1995.73)   Head of a Tirthankara, or Jain saviour (EAX.245)

Figure of Maitreya, the future Buddha (EA1995.165)   Seated figure of Padmapani (EA1971.14)   Standing figure of Padmapani (EA2013.65)   Figure of Tara, goddess of protection (EA2013.67)   Figure of Tara seated on lion throne (EA1997.200)

Seated figure of Tara (EA2013.66)   Seated figure of Padmapani (EA1996.75)   Seated figure of Padmapani (EA1993.372)   Apsaras, or celestial nymph (EA1998.226)   Figure of Padmapani with attendants (EA2013.63)

Freestanding sculpture

Figure of Varaha, the Boar incarnation of Vishnu (EA1969.43)   Head of a yogini or goddess (EA1965.41)   Boss from a temple ceiling with circle of flying warriors (EA1985.5)

Section of a torana arch from a Jain temple (EA2004.12)   Stele with dancing Ganesha (EA1994.111)   Stele with the goddess Gauri or Siddha (EA1999.21)

Standing figure of a Jina (EA1998.225)   Figure of Shiva and Parvati (Uma-Maheshvara) (EAOS.70)   Figure of Vishnu and Lakshmi, or Lakshmi-Narayana (EA1965.161)   Pillar capital from a temple (EA2000.31)