The thief who stole my heart : the material life of sacred bronzes from Chola India, 855-1280

Introduction: Chola bronzes and the thief who stole my heart
1. Gods on parade: sacred forms of copper
2. Battling for empire and Shiva as the victor of three forts: 855-955
3. Writ in stone: temple walls as inscribed archives
4. Portrait of a queen and her patronage of dancing Shiva: 941-1002
5. The tiruvenkadu master and ten thousand pearls adorn a bronze: eleventh century 129
6. Chola obsession with Sri Lanka and Hindu bronzes from the island: eleventh century
7. The silk route of the ocean and temple art in the days of Rajaraja II: twelfth century
8. Evolving manifestations of the Goddess, the God Vishnu, and the Buddha
9. Worship in uncertain times and the secret Burial of bronzes: Thirteenth century
10. Reviewing the Chola Achievement a millennium later
Appendix A: main rulers of the chola dynasty: a tentative genealogy
Appendix B: Assemblages of sacred Bronzes: Inscriptional evidence
Appendix C: Tenth-Century Chola yoginis in context
Appendix D: Trace metal analysis on five Chola Bronzes, by Matthew L Clarke, Nicole C. Little, and Donna K. Strahan
Glossary
Notes
Index
Photography and Copyright Credits

"From the ninth through the thirteenth century, the Chola dynasty of southern India produced thousands of statues of Hindu deities, whose physical perfection was meant to reflect spiritual beauty and divine transcendence. During festivals, these bronze sculptures--including Shiva, referred to in a saintly vision as "the thief who stole my heart"--were adorned with jewels and flowers and paraded through towns as active participants in Chola worship. In this richly illustrated book, leading art historian Vidya Dehejia introduces the bronzes within the full context of Chola history, culture, and religion. In doing so, she brings the bronzes and Chola society to life before our very eyes. Dehejia presents the bronzes as material objects that interacted in meaningful ways with the people and practices of their era. Describing the role of the statues in everyday activities, she reveals not only the importance of the bronzes for the empire, but also little-known facets of Chola life. She considers the source of the copper and jewels used for the deities, proposing that the need for such resources may have influenced the Chola empire's political engagement with Sri Lanka. She also investigates the role of women patrons in bronze commissions and discusses the vast public records, many appearing here in translation for the first time, inscribed on temple walls. From the Cholas' religious customs to their agriculture, politics, and even food, The Thief Who Stole My Heart offers an expansive and complete immersion in a community still accessible to us through its exquisite sacred art"--Publisher's description