South Asia

South Asia is centred upon India and includes, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The oldest ancient art of South Asia is of the Indus valley civilisation which includes extremely ancient ceramics and fertility figurines of a mysterious and little understood culture. The Vedic period saw the introduction of Hindu religious figures as well as the later development of Buddhism. However anthropomorphic religious sculpture was not practiced until the conquest of Alexander the Great into Afghanistan exerted Hellenistic influence that saw the depictions of the Buddha in the Gandharan region.