Earthen Plaster as a Support for Decorative Art in India: 2nd Edition

The paintings of Buddhist cave monasteries in Western India (1st to 5th century CE) reflect nearly 700 years of the life and beliefs of ancient Indians. This tangible heritage represents an extensive technical tradition grounded in material science, developed and refined over centuries for study, protection, and conservation. This book presents a scientific investigation of Indian mural art, drawing on two decades of research and relevant literature. It adopts a holistic approach, combining mineralogical, geochemical, and textural data to characterize the decorative earthen plaster of the Ajanta, Ellora, Pithalkhora, Karle, and Bhaja caves, alongside an evaluation of ancient mud plaster technology. The study details sources of raw materials, aggregates, proteinaceous additives, and vegetal remains. It also incorporates cross-sectional analyses of painted plaster and analytical data obtained through XRF, XRD, FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, SEM, and thermal analysis.