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A ,i>maiko</i> is an apprentice geiko (a type of geisha) in Kyoto, western Japan. Their jobs consist of performing songs, dances, and playing the shamisen (three-stringed Japanese instrument) for visitors during feasts.<br/><br/> Maiko are usually aged 15 to 20 years old and become Geiko after learning how to dance (a kind of Japanese traditional dance), play the shamisen, and learning <i>Kyō-kotoba</i> (dialect of Kyoto), regardless of their origins.
Golconda lay on the south east side of the Deccan in Hyderabad district, Telangana. With rich and fertile farmland, Golconda was very attractive for European traders. The art of Golonconda tells us a lot about the traditional culture of the Deccan. We see many figures, flowers, and animal creations in decorative mortars, vessels, calligraphies (Alams) and hanging kalamkaris, or textiles of the Deccan made for courtly patrons.<br/><br/> This painting of a 'Dancing Girl' represents a classical Indian maiden dancing, wearing Indian clothes with traditional imperial jewellery.
From 1861 to 1890 the Munich publishing firm of Braun and Schneider published plates of historic and contemporary costume in their magazine Munchener Bilderbogen.<br/><br/> These plates were eventually collected in book form and published at the turn of the century in Germany and England.
From 1861 to 1890 the Munich publishing firm of Braun and Schneider published plates of historic and contemporary costume in their magazine Munchener Bilderbogen.<br/><br/> These plates were eventually collected in book form and published at the turn of the century in Germany and England.
From 1861 to 1890 the Munich publishing firm of Braun and Schneider published plates of historic and contemporary costume in their magazine Munchener Bilderbogen.<br/><br/> These plates were eventually collected in book form and published at the turn of the century in Germany and England.
Tian Chi or ‘Heaven Lake’ is 110km east of Urumqi. The long, blue lake is at an altitude of 2,000m and lies in the lee of permanently snow-capped Bogda Feng, ‘The Peak of God’, at 5,445m the highest mountain in the eastern Tian Shan.<br/><br/> During the summer months Kazakh yurts cluster by the lake shore. In winter even the hardy Kazakhs move down to lower pastures.
The kingdom of Champa (Campadesa or nagara Campa) Chăm Pa in Vietnamese, 占城 Chiêm Thành in Hán Việt and Zhàn chéng in Chinese records) was an Indianized kingdom that controlled much of southern and central Vietnam from approximately the 7th century through to 1832.<br/><br/> Champa reached its apogee in the 9th and 10th centuries. Then began a gradual decline under pressure from Đại Việt, the Vietnamese polity centered in the region of modern Hanoi. In 1471, Viet troops sacked the northern Cham capital of Vijaya, and in 1697 the southern principality of Panduranga became a vassal of the Vietnamese emperor.<br/><br/> In 1832, the Vietnamese emperor Minh Mạng annexed the remaining Cham territories. Mỹ Sơn, a former religious center, and Hội An, one of Champa's main port cities, are now UNESCO World Heritage sites.
The kingdom of Champa (Campadesa or nagara Campa) Chăm Pa in Vietnamese, 占城 Chiêm Thành in Hán Việt and Zhàn chéng in Chinese records) was an Indianized kingdom that controlled much of southern and central Vietnam from approximately the 7th century through to 1832.<br/><br/> Champa reached its apogee in the 9th and 10th centuries. Then began a gradual decline under pressure from Đại Việt, the Vietnamese polity centered in the region of modern Hanoi. In 1471, Viet troops sacked the northern Cham capital of Vijaya, and in 1697 the southern principality of Panduranga became a vassal of the Vietnamese emperor.<br/><br/> In 1832, the Vietnamese emperor Minh Mạng annexed the remaining Cham territories. Mỹ Sơn, a former religious center, and Hội An, one of Champa's main port cities, are now UNESCO World Heritage sites.
'Almeh' or 'Alma' is a term applied in Egyptian Arabic to female entertainers or dancing girls, also sometimes as professional mourners.
Berbers are the indigenous peoples of North Africa west of the Nile Valley. They are discontinuously distributed from the Atlantic to the Siwa Oasis, in Egypt, and from the Mediterranean to the Niger River. Historically they spoke various Berber languages, which together form a branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family.<br/><br/> Photography probably by Lehnert & Landrock: Rudolf Franz Lehnert (Czech) and Ernst Heinrich Landrock (German) had a photographic company based in Tunis, Cairo and Leipzig before World War II. They specialised in somewhat risque Orinetalist images of young Arab and Bedouin women, often dancers.
Wat Buak Khrok Luang, located in Ban Buak Khrok Luang Moo 1, Chiang Mai – Sankamphaeng Road, Chiang Mai, is a small and typically northern Thai Buddhist temple. It is believed to have been founded in the 15th century during the time of the independent Lan Na Kingdom (1292-1558), and was extensively restored during the reign of Chao Kaew Naowarat (r.1911-1939), the last King of Chiang Mai.<br/><br/> The temple is chiefly noteworthy for its main viharn, which is purely Lan Na in inspiration, with a four-tiered roof and elegant naga balustrade entrance. The most remarkable aspect of the viharn is its extensive mural paintings, dating from around 1835 during the reign of Chao Phuttawong (r.1826-1846), the fourth ruler of the Chiang Mai Thipchang Dynasty. The murals, which are northern Thai in style with clear elements of Shan State and Konbaung Dynasty Burmese influence, are among the best in northern Thailand. They feature the jataka stories, past lives of the Buddha, and are interspersed with vernacular scenes from everyday early 19th century northern Thai life.
The word Nautch is an anglicized version of nāc, a word found in Hindi and Urdu and several other languages of North India, derived from the Sanskrit, Nritya, via the Prakrit, Nachcha. A simple and literal translation of Nautch is 'dance' or 'dancing'.<br/><br/> The culture of the performing art of Nautch rose to prominence during the later period of Mughal Empire, and the East India Company Rule. Over a period of time, the Nautch traveled outside the confines of the Imperial courts of the Mughals, the palaces of the Nawabs and the Princely states, and the higher echelons of the officials of the British Raj, to the places of smaller Zamindars, and other places.<br/><br/> Some references use the terms Nautch and Nautch girls to describe Devadasis who used to perform Hindu ritual and religious dances in the Hindu temples of India. However, there is not much commonality between the Devadasis and the Nautch girls. The former performed dances in the precincts of the Hindu temples to please the temple deities, whereas Nautch girls performed for the pleasure of men.
The word Nautch is an anglicized version of nāc, a word found in Hindi and Urdu and several other languages of North India, derived from the Sanskrit, Nritya, via the Prakrit, Nachcha. A simple and literal translation of Nautch is 'dance' or 'dancing'.<br/><br/> The culture of the performing art of Nautch rose to prominence during the later period of Mughal Empire, and the East India Company Rule. Over a period of time, the Nautch traveled outside the confines of the Imperial courts of the Mughals, the palaces of the Nawabs and the Princely states, and the higher echelons of the officials of the British Raj, to the places of smaller Zamindars, and other places.<br/><br/> Some references use the terms Nautch and Nautch girls to describe Devadasis who used to perform Hindu ritual and religious dances in the Hindu temples of India. However, there is not much commonality between the Devadasis and the Nautch girls. The former performed dances in the precincts of the Hindu temples to please the temple deities, whereas Nautch girls performed for the pleasure of men.
The word Nautch is an anglicized version of nāc, a word found in Hindi and Urdu and several other languages of North India, derived from the Sanskrit, Nritya, via the Prakrit, Nachcha. A simple and literal translation of Nautch is 'dance' or 'dancing'.<br/><br/> The culture of the performing art of Nautch rose to prominence during the later period of Mughal Empire, and the East India Company Rule. Over a period of time, the Nautch traveled outside the confines of the Imperial courts of the Mughals, the palaces of the Nawabs and the Princely states, and the higher echelons of the officials of the British Raj, to the places of smaller Zamindars, and other places.<br/><br/> Some references use the terms Nautch and Nautch girls to describe Devadasis who used to perform Hindu ritual and religious dances in the Hindu temples of India. However, there is not much commonality between the Devadasis and the Nautch girls. The former performed dances in the precincts of the Hindu temples to please the temple deities, whereas Nautch girls performed for the pleasure of men.
A Dancing Girl and her assistants - watercolour from South India (19th century).
The word Nautch is an anglicized version of nāc, a word found in Hindi and Urdu and several other languages of North India, derived from the Sanskrit, Nritya, via the Prakrit, Nachcha. A simple and literal translation of Nautch is 'dance' or 'dancing'.<br/><br/> The culture of the performing art of Nautch rose to prominence during the later period of Mughal Empire, and the East India Company Rule. Over a period of time, the Nautch traveled outside the confines of the Imperial courts of the Mughals, the palaces of the Nawabs and the Princely states, and the higher echelons of the officials of the British Raj, to the places of smaller Zamindars, and other places.<br/><br/> Some references use the terms Nautch and Nautch girls to describe Devadasis who used to perform Hindu ritual and religious dances in the Hindu temples of India. However, there is not much commonality between the Devadasis and the Nautch girls. The former performed dances in the precincts of the Hindu temples to please the temple deities, whereas Nautch girls performed for the pleasure of men.
The word Nautch is an anglicized version of nāc, a word found in Hindi and Urdu and several other languages of North India, derived from the Sanskrit, Nritya, via the Prakrit, Nachcha. A simple and literal translation of Nautch is 'dance' or 'dancing'.<br/><br/> The culture of the performing art of Nautch rose to prominence during the later period of Mughal Empire, and the East India Company Rule. Over a period of time, the Nautch traveled outside the confines of the Imperial courts of the Mughals, the palaces of the Nawabs and the Princely states, and the higher echelons of the officials of the British Raj, to the places of smaller Zamindars, and other places.<br/><br/> Some references use the terms Nautch and Nautch girls to describe Devadasis who used to perform Hindu ritual and religious dances in the Hindu temples of India. However, there is not much commonality between the Devadasis and the Nautch girls. The former performed dances in the precincts of the Hindu temples to please the temple deities, whereas Nautch girls performed for the pleasure of men.
Lehnert & Landrock: Rudolf Franz Lehnert (Czech) and Ernst Heinrich Landrock (German) had a photographic company based in Tunis, Cairo and Leipzig before World War II. They specialised in somewhat risque Orientalist images of young Arab and Bedouin women, often dancers.
The word Nautch is an anglicized version of nāc, a word found in Hindi and Urdu and several other languages of North India, derived from the Sanskrit, Nritya, via the Prakrit, Nachcha. A simple and literal translation of Nautch is 'dance' or 'dancing'.<br/><br/> The culture of the performing art of Nautch rose to prominence during the later period of Mughal Empire, and the East India Company Rule. Over a period of time, the Nautch traveled outside the confines of the Imperial courts of the Mughals, the palaces of the Nawabs and the Princely states, and the higher echelons of the officials of the British Raj, to the places of smaller Zamindars, and other places.<br/><br/> Some references use the terms Nautch and Nautch girls to describe Devadasis who used to perform Hindu ritual and religious dances in the Hindu temples of India. However, there is not much commonality between the Devadasis and the Nautch girls. The former performed dances in the precincts of the Hindu temples to please the temple deities, whereas Nautch girls performed for the pleasure of men.
The word Nautch is an anglicized version of nāc, a word found in Hindi and Urdu and several other languages of North India, derived from the Sanskrit, Nritya, via the Prakrit, Nachcha. A simple and literal translation of Nautch is 'dance' or 'dancing'.<br/><br/> The culture of the performing art of Nautch rose to prominence during the later period of Mughal Empire, and the East India Company Rule. Over a period of time, the Nautch traveled outside the confines of the Imperial courts of the Mughals, the palaces of the Nawabs and the Princely states, and the higher echelons of the officials of the British Raj, to the places of smaller Zamindars, and other places.<br/><br/> Some references use the terms Nautch and Nautch girls to describe Devadasis who used to perform Hindu ritual and religious dances in the Hindu temples of India. However, there is not much commonality between the Devadasis and the Nautch girls. The former performed dances in the precincts of the Hindu temples to please the temple deities, whereas Nautch girls performed for the pleasure of men.
The word Nautch is an anglicized version of nāc, a word found in Hindi and Urdu and several other languages of North India, derived from the Sanskrit, Nritya, via the Prakrit, Nachcha. A simple and literal translation of Nautch is 'dance' or 'dancing'.<br/><br/> The culture of the performing art of Nautch rose to prominence during the later period of Mughal Empire, and the East India Company Rule. Over a period of time, the Nautch traveled outside the confines of the Imperial courts of the Mughals, the palaces of the Nawabs and the Princely states, and the higher echelons of the officials of the British Raj, to the places of smaller Zamindars, and other places.<br/><br/> Some references use the terms Nautch and Nautch girls to describe Devadasis who used to perform Hindu ritual and religious dances in the Hindu temples of India. However, there is not much commonality between the Devadasis and the Nautch girls. The former performed dances in the precincts of the Hindu temples to please the temple deities, whereas Nautch girls performed for the pleasure of men.
The word Nautch is an anglicized version of nāc, a word found in Hindi and Urdu and several other languages of North India, derived from the Sanskrit, Nritya, via the Prakrit, Nachcha. A simple and literal translation of Nautch is 'dance' or 'dancing'.<br/><br/> The culture of the performing art of Nautch rose to prominence during the later period of Mughal Empire, and the East India Company Rule. Over a period of time, the Nautch traveled outside the confines of the Imperial courts of the Mughals, the palaces of the Nawabs and the Princely states, and the higher echelons of the officials of the British Raj, to the places of smaller Zamindars, and other places.<br/><br/> Some references use the terms Nautch and Nautch girls to describe Devadasis who used to perform Hindu ritual and religious dances in the Hindu temples of India. However, there is not much commonality between the Devadasis and the Nautch girls. The former performed dances in the precincts of the Hindu temples to please the temple deities, whereas Nautch girls performed for the pleasure of men.
The word Nautch is an anglicized version of nāc, a word found in Hindi and Urdu and several other languages of North India, derived from the Sanskrit, Nritya, via the Prakrit, Nachcha. A simple and literal translation of Nautch is 'dance' or 'dancing'.<br/><br/> The culture of the performing art of Nautch rose to prominence during the later period of Mughal Empire, and the East India Company Rule. Over a period of time, the Nautch traveled outside the confines of the Imperial courts of the Mughals, the palaces of the Nawabs and the Princely states, and the higher echelons of the officials of the British Raj, to the places of smaller Zamindars, and other places.<br/><br/> Some references use the terms Nautch and Nautch girls to describe Devadasis who used to perform Hindu ritual and religious dances in the Hindu temples of India. However, there is not much commonality between the Devadasis and the Nautch girls. The former performed dances in the precincts of the Hindu temples to please the temple deities, whereas Nautch girls performed for the pleasure of men.
The photographer J. Geiser had a studio in Algiers at the beginning of the 20th century.
A Hand-colored engraving from Auguste Wahlen, 'Moeurs, Usages, et Costumes de tous les Peuples de Monde, d'apres des Documents Authentiques et les Voyages les plus Recents' (Manners, Customs and Costumes of all the Peoples of the World taken from Authentic Documents and the Most Recent Travels), Brussels: 1843.
The word Nautch is an anglicized version of nāc, a word found in Hindi and Urdu and several other languages of North India, derived from the Sanskrit, Nritya, via the Prakrit, Nachcha. A simple and literal translation of Nautch is 'dance' or 'dancing'.<br/><br/> The culture of the performing art of Nautch rose to prominence during the later period of Mughal Empire, and the East India Company Rule. Over a period of time, the Nautch traveled outside the confines of the Imperial courts of the Mughals, the palaces of the Nawabs and the Princely states, and the higher echelons of the officials of the British Raj, to the places of smaller Zamindars, and other places.<br/><br/> Some references use the terms Nautch and Nautch girls to describe Devadasis who used to perform Hindu ritual and religious dances in the Hindu temples of India. However, there is not much commonality between the Devadasis and the Nautch girls. The former performed dances in the precincts of the Hindu temples to please the temple deities, whereas Nautch girls performed for the pleasure of men.
The word Nautch is an anglicized version of nāc, a word found in Hindi and Urdu and several other languages of North India, derived from the Sanskrit, Nritya, via the Prakrit, Nachcha. A simple and literal translation of Nautch is 'dance' or 'dancing'.<br/><br/> The culture of the performing art of Nautch rose to prominence during the later period of Mughal Empire, and the East India Company Rule. Over a period of time, the Nautch traveled outside the confines of the Imperial courts of the Mughals, the palaces of the Nawabs and the Princely states, and the higher echelons of the officials of the British Raj, to the places of smaller Zamindars, and other places.<br/><br/> Some references use the terms Nautch and Nautch girls to describe Devadasis who used to perform Hindu ritual and religious dances in the Hindu temples of India. However, there is not much commonality between the Devadasis and the Nautch girls. The former performed dances in the precincts of the Hindu temples to please the temple deities, whereas Nautch girls performed for the pleasure of men.
The word Nautch is an anglicized version of nāc, a word found in Hindi and Urdu and several other languages of North India, derived from the Sanskrit, Nritya, via the Prakrit, Nachcha. A simple and literal translation of Nautch is 'dance' or 'dancing'.<br/><br/> The culture of the performing art of Nautch rose to prominence during the later period of Mughal Empire, and the East India Company Rule. Over a period of time, the Nautch traveled outside the confines of the Imperial courts of the Mughals, the palaces of the Nawabs and the Princely states, and the higher echelons of the officials of the British Raj, to the places of smaller Zamindars, and other places.<br/><br/> Some references use the terms Nautch and Nautch girls to describe Devadasis who used to perform Hindu ritual and religious dances in the Hindu temples of India. However, there is not much commonality between the Devadasis and the Nautch girls. The former performed dances in the precincts of the Hindu temples to please the temple deities, whereas Nautch girls performed for the pleasure of men.
The word Nautch is an anglicized version of nāc, a word found in Hindi and Urdu and several other languages of North India, derived from the Sanskrit, Nritya, via the Prakrit, Nachcha. A simple and literal translation of Nautch is 'dance' or 'dancing'.<br/><br/> The culture of the performing art of Nautch rose to prominence during the later period of Mughal Empire, and the East India Company Rule. Over a period of time, the Nautch traveled outside the confines of the Imperial courts of the Mughals, the palaces of the Nawabs and the Princely states, and the higher echelons of the officials of the British Raj, to the places of smaller Zamindars, and other places.<br/><br/> Some references use the terms Nautch and Nautch girls to describe Devadasis who used to perform Hindu ritual and religious dances in the Hindu temples of India. However, there is not much commonality between the Devadasis and the Nautch girls. The former performed dances in the precincts of the Hindu temples to please the temple deities, whereas Nautch girls performed for the pleasure of men.
Hand-colored image painted on a thin sheet of mica from a manuscript entitled: ‘Seventy-Two Specimens of Caste in India’ (Madura, southern India: 1837). The full manuscript consists of 72 full-color hand-painted images of men and women of the various castes and religious and ethnic groups found in Madura, Tamil Nadu, at that time. The manuscript shows Indian dress and jewelry adornment in the Madura region as they appeared before the onset of Western influences on South Asian dress and style. Each illustrated portrait is captioned in English and in Tamil, and the title page of the work includes English, Tamil, and Telugu.
The word Nautch is an anglicized version of nāc, a word found in Hindi and Urdu and several other languages of North India, derived from the Sanskrit, Nritya, via the Prakrit, Nachcha. A simple and literal translation of Nautch is 'dance' or 'dancing'.<br/><br/> The culture of the performing art of Nautch rose to prominence during the later period of Mughal Empire, and the East India Company Rule. Over a period of time, the Nautch traveled outside the confines of the Imperial courts of the Mughals, the palaces of the Nawabs and the Princely states, and the higher echelons of the officials of the British Raj, to the places of smaller Zamindars, and other places.<br/><br/> Some references use the terms Nautch and Nautch girls to describe Devadasis who used to perform Hindu ritual and religious dances in the Hindu temples of India. However, there is not much commonality between the Devadasis and the Nautch girls. The former performed dances in the precincts of the Hindu temples to please the temple deities, whereas Nautch girls performed for the pleasure of men.
The word Nautch is an anglicized version of nāc, a word found in Hindi and Urdu and several other languages of North India, derived from the Sanskrit, Nritya, via the Prakrit, Nachcha. A simple and literal translation of Nautch is 'dance' or 'dancing'.<br/><br/> The culture of the performing art of Nautch rose to prominence during the later period of Mughal Empire, and the East India Company Rule. Over a period of time, the Nautch traveled outside the confines of the Imperial courts of the Mughals, the palaces of the Nawabs and the Princely states, and the higher echelons of the officials of the British Raj, to the places of smaller Zamindars, and other places.<br/><br/> Some references use the terms Nautch and Nautch girls to describe Devadasis who used to perform Hindu ritual and religious dances in the Hindu temples of India. However, there is not much commonality between the Devadasis and the Nautch girls. The former performed dances in the precincts of the Hindu temples to please the temple deities, whereas Nautch girls performed for the pleasure of men.
The Konbaung Dynasty was the last dynasty that ruled Burma (Myanmar), from 1752 to 1885. The dynasty created the second largest empire in Burmese history, and continued the administrative reforms begun by the Toungoo dynasty, laying the foundations of modern state of Burma.<br/><br/> The reforms proved insufficient to stem the advance of the British, who defeated the Burmese in all three Anglo-Burmese wars over a six-decade span (1824–1885) and ended the millennium-old Burmese monarchy in 1885.
The word Nautch is an anglicized version of nāc, a word found in Hindi and Urdu and several other languages of North India, derived from the Sanskrit, Nritya, via the Prakrit, Nachcha. A simple and literal translation of Nautch is 'dance' or 'dancing'.<br/><br/> The culture of the performing art of Nautch rose to prominence during the later period of Mughal Empire, and the East India Company Rule. Over a period of time, the Nautch traveled outside the confines of the Imperial courts of the Mughals, the palaces of the Nawabs and the Princely states, and the higher echelons of the officials of the British Raj, to the places of smaller Zamindars, and other places.<br/><br/> Some references use the terms Nautch and Nautch girls to describe Devadasis who used to perform Hindu ritual and religious dances in the Hindu temples of India. However, there is not much commonality between the Devadasis and the Nautch girls. The former performed dances in the precincts of the Hindu temples to please the temple deities, whereas Nautch girls performed for the pleasure of men.
The word Nautch is an anglicized version of nāc, a word found in Hindi and Urdu and several other languages of North India, derived from the Sanskrit, Nritya, via the Prakrit, Nachcha. A simple and literal translation of Nautch is 'dance' or 'dancing'.<br/><br/> The culture of the performing art of Nautch rose to prominence during the later period of Mughal Empire, and the East India Company Rule. Over a period of time, the Nautch traveled outside the confines of the Imperial courts of the Mughals, the palaces of the Nawabs and the Princely states, and the higher echelons of the officials of the British Raj, to the places of smaller Zamindars, and other places.<br/><br/> Some references use the terms Nautch and Nautch girls to describe Devadasis who used to perform Hindu ritual and religious dances in the Hindu temples of India. However, there is not much commonality between the Devadasis and the Nautch girls. The former performed dances in the precincts of the Hindu temples to please the temple deities, whereas Nautch girls performed for the pleasure of men.
In ancient Egypt entertainment by dancers was common, but mixed gender dancing is not represented in murals and frescoes. Egyptian dancing may have been influenced by the Nubian tradition, which became very popular in Rome during the days of the empire, and is still alive in parts of the Sudan today. Dancers from the south were brought to Egypt and seemingly much admired.<br/><br/> Egyptian choreography appears to have been complex. Dances could be mimetic, expressive - similar to modern ballet with pirouettes and the like, or gymnastic, including splits, cartwheels, and backbends.<br/><br/> A few pictures of acrobatic dancers have been found, generally depicting a number of dancers performing the same movement in unison.<br/><br/> For sociable banquets the dancing girls were often selected from among the servants or the women living in the harem of the nobleman in whose house the party was held; possibly professional dancers were also hired for these occasions. Pictures of such gatherings show girls performing slow elegant dance steps, which may have alternated with wild acrobatic movements.<br/><br/> Public celebrations were accompanied by dancing, whether spontaneous or orchestrated.
The word Nautch is an anglicized version of nāc, a word found in Hindi and Urdu and several other languages of North India, derived from the Sanskrit, Nritya, via the Prakrit, Nachcha. A simple and literal translation of Nautch is 'dance' or 'dancing'.<br/><br/> The culture of the performing art of Nautch rose to prominence during the later period of Mughal Empire, and the East India Company Rule. Over a period of time, the Nautch traveled outside the confines of the Imperial courts of the Mughals, the palaces of the Nawabs and the Princely states, and the higher echelons of the officials of the British Raj, to the places of smaller Zamindars, and other places.<br/><br/> Some references use the terms Nautch and Nautch girls to describe Devadasis who used to perform Hindu ritual and religious dances in the Hindu temples of India. However, there is not much commonality between the Devadasis and the Nautch girls. The former performed dances in the precincts of the Hindu temples to please the temple deities, whereas Nautch girls performed for the pleasure of men.
The word Nautch is an anglicized version of nāc, a word found in Hindi and Urdu and several other languages of North India, derived from the Sanskrit, Nritya, via the Prakrit, Nachcha. A simple and literal translation of Nautch is 'dance' or 'dancing'.<br/><br/> The culture of the performing art of Nautch rose to prominence during the later period of Mughal Empire, and the East India Company Rule. Over a period of time, the Nautch traveled outside the confines of the Imperial courts of the Mughals, the palaces of the Nawabs and the Princely states, and the higher echelons of the officials of the British Raj, to the places of smaller Zamindars, and other places.<br/><br/> Some references use the terms Nautch and Nautch girls to describe Devadasis who used to perform Hindu ritual and religious dances in the Hindu temples of India. However, there is not much commonality between the Devadasis and the Nautch girls. The former performed dances in the precincts of the Hindu temples to please the temple deities, whereas Nautch girls performed for the pleasure of men.
Ronggeng is a type of Javanese and Malay social dance in which couples exchange poetic verses as they dance to the music of a rebab or violin and a gong. Ronggeng originated in Java, but also can be found in Sumatra and the Malay peninsula.<br/><br/>Ronggeng probably has existed in Java since ancient times, the bas reliefs in Karmawibhanga section on 8th century Borobudur displays the scene of travelling entertainment troupe with musicians and female dancers. In Java, a traditional ronggeng performance features a traveling dance troupe that travels from village to village. The dance troop consists of one or several professional female dancers, accompanied by a group of musicians playing musical instruments: rebab and gong.<br/><br/>The term 'ronggeng' is also applied to the female dancers. During a ronggeng performance, the female professional dancers are expected to invite some male audiences or clients to dance with them as a couple with the exchange of some tips of money for the female dancer, given during or after the dance. The couple dances intimately and the female dancer might perform some movements that might be considered too erotic by standards of modesty in Javanese court etiquette. In the past, the erotic and sexual nuances of the dance gave ronggeng a shady reputation as prostitution disguised in the art of dance.
Knossos (alternative spellings Knossus, Cnossus, Greek Κνωσός), also known as Labyrinth, or Knossos Palace, is the largest Bronze Age archaeological site on Crete and probably the ceremonial and political centre of the Minoan civilization and culture. The palace appears as a maze of workrooms, living spaces, and store rooms close to a central square.<br/><br/> Detailed images of Cretan life in the late Bronze Age are provided by images on the walls of this palace. It is also a tourist destination today, as it is near the main city of Heraklion and has been substantially restored by archaeologist Arthur Evans.<br/><br/> The city of Knossos remained important through the Classical and Roman periods, but its population shifted to the new town of Chandax (modern Heraklion) during the 9th century AD. By the 13th century, it was called Makryteikhos or 'Long Wall'; the bishops of Gortyn continued to call themselves Bishops of Knossos until the 19th century. Today, the name is used only for the archaeological site situated in the suburbs of Heraklion.
A Persian miniature is a small painting on paper, whether a book illustration or a separate work of art intended to be kept in an album of such works called a muraqqa. The techniques are broadly comparable to the Western and Byzantine traditions of miniatures in illuminated manuscripts. Although there is an equally well-established Persian tradition of wall-painting, the survival rate and state of preservation of miniatures is better, and miniatures are much the best-known form of Persian painting in the West, and many of the most important examples are in Western, or Turkish, museums.<br/><br/> Miniature painting became a significant Persian genre in the 13th century, receiving Chinese influence after the Mongol conquests, and the highest point in the tradition was reached in the 15th and 16th centuries. The tradition continued, under some Western influence, after this, and has many modern exponents. The Persian miniature was the dominant influence on other Islamic miniature traditions, principally the Ottoman miniature in Turkey, and the Mughal miniature in the Indian sub-continent.
Mohenjo-daro (lit. Mound of the Dead), situated in the province of Sindh, Pakistan, was one of the largest settlements of the ancient Indus Valley Civilization. Built around 2600 BC, it was one of the world's earliest major urban settlements, existing at the same time as the civilizations of ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Crete. The archaeological ruins of the city are designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.<br/><br/> A bronze statuette dubbed the 'Dancing Girl', 10.8 cm high and some 4,500 years old, was found in Mohenjo-daro in 1926. In 1973, British archaeologist Mortimer Wheeler described the item as his favorite statuette:<br/><br/> 'There is her little Balochi-style face with pouting lips and insolent look in the eyes. She's about fifteen years old I should think, not more, but she stands there with bangles all the way up her arm and nothing else on. A girl perfectly, for the moment, perfectly confident of herself and the world. There's nothing like her, I think, in the world'.<br/><br/> John Marshall, another archeologist at Mohenjo-daro, described the figure as 'a young girl, her hand on her hip in a half-impudent posture, and legs slightly forward as she beats time to the music with her legs and feet'.<br/><br/> The archaeologist Gregory Possehl said of the statuette, 'We may not be certain that she was a dancer, but she was good at what she did and she knew it'.
Mohenjo-daro (lit. Mound of the Dead), situated in the province of Sindh, Pakistan, was one of the largest settlements of the ancient Indus Valley Civilization. Built around 2600 BC, it was one of the world's earliest major urban settlements, existing at the same time as the civilizations of ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Crete. The archaeological ruins of the city are designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.<br/><br/> A bronze statuette dubbed the 'Dancing Girl', 10.8 cm high and some 4,500 years old, was found in Mohenjo-daro in 1926. In 1973, British archaeologist Mortimer Wheeler described the item as his favorite statuette:<br/><br/> 'There is her little Balochi-style face with pouting lips and insolent look in the eyes. She's about fifteen years old I should think, not more, but she stands there with bangles all the way up her arm and nothing else on. A girl perfectly, for the moment, perfectly confident of herself and the world. There's nothing like her, I think, in the world'.<br/><br/> John Marshall, another archeologist at Mohenjo-daro, described the figure as 'a young girl, her hand on her hip in a half-impudent posture, and legs slightly forward as she beats time to the music with her legs and feet'.<br/><br/> The archaeologist Gregory Possehl said of the statuette, 'We may not be certain that she was a dancer, but she was good at what she did and she knew it'.