The Achievements of the Gupta Empire

1/29/14 Achievements of the Gupta Empire Brown Black

Golden Age Time of prosperity/ achievement Peaceful times allow people to be creative/think

Great Achievement in the Gupta Empire Universities Literature Painting Sculpture Metalwork Math Astronomy Roads

Universities Time of great learning Hindu/Buddhist universities Women not allowed to attend, except for daughters of teachers Hindu universities were designed for upper classes

Nalanda Famous Buddhist school 8 colleges, 3 libraries Hospital Monastery Students instructed in both Buddhist and Hindu philosophy

Literature Gupta writers created many types of literary works Poetry, fables, folktales, and plays Hindu law and religion

The Puranas (“Ancient Lore”) Described many Hindu legends Stories passed through oral tradition

The Mahabharata (“Great Work”) stories from the Puranas were written down stories were hundreds of years old. Themes relate to Hindu values of good versus evil.

Bhagavad Gita (“Song of the Lord”) Part of Mahabharata Beautiful poem and beloved work Prince Arjuna is taught basic truths of Hinduism by Krishna, an earthly form of the deity Vishnu.

Gupta Literature Spread Beyond India to Greece and Persia. Famous Arabian tale about Aladdin and his magic lamp was inspired by a Gupta folktale.

Painting Gupta empire famous for beautiful paintings Subjects included deities and other religious topics Paintings created on long scrolls

Anjanta Cave Murals Murals cover the walls of 30 caves Ancient Buddhist monastery Paintings are done in bright colors - red, purple, green. Artists made paints from minerals and clay.

Ajanta Cave Murals

Sculpture Sculptors created statues made of stone, wood, bronze, and terra-cotta clay. Many portrayed Buddhist or Hindu deities.

Metalwork Gupta kings controlled huge mines of gold, copper, and iron. Gold and copper coins honoring Gupta rulers

Ironworks Part of metal works Iron pillar at a place called Meharauli is an impressive and mysterious example of skill Pillar made of solid iron, 25 feet tall, weighs 13,000 pounds.

Mathematics Write whole numbers 1-9. Used decimals system. Hindus - first to use the zero as a number. Arabic numerals began with the Indian system of numbers.

Astronomy Aryanhata combined math and astronomy. Figured out a year was exactly 365.258 days long. Calculated approximate size of earth. Proposed planets were like balls or spheres. Suggested earth spins on an axis.

Mathematics Practical Uses Gupta builders used mathematics to design more complex structures.

Roads Gupta rulers encouraged trade by creating a huge system of well-built roads. Signs told travelers where they were Empire greatly benefitted from trade.

Roads Connected India to China and lands east of Mediterranean Sea.