1. The Achievements of the Gupta Empire

2. 1/29/14 Achievements of the Gupta Empire
Brown Black

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

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

5. 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

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

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

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

9. 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.

10. 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.

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

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

13. 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.

14. Ajanta Cave Murals

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

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

17. 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.

18. 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.

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

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

21. 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.

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