Mountain Indians FAQ

by Duncan Head

Reposted as a FAQ from the Ancmed Group.

(Jeff intends to illustrate Duncan's ideas with models eventually)

Jason, "miros111" <miros@...> wrote:

Picked up a few packs of Xyston 'Mountain Indians' and am unsure
how to paint them. IIRC they are the inhabitants of the
Paropamisadae/Gandara or Afghan/Pakistani hills in the Successor
period.

Yes.

The clothing has elements similar to Classical Indians, as do the
bows. However they also have beards. Would they be more Afghans
with some Indian culture or something else?
Ideas as to skin & clothing colors?

What I said in a dbmlist reply a couple of years ago (this is one of
the questions that should be in a FAQ somewhere):

"I'd do the kilts in the usual Indian white cotton, and probably the
headbands too though those might vary. Jackets I think I'd opt for
off-whites and dull reds (a "Bactrian" range of colours suggested by
the later Khalchayan paintings) brightened up by "Persian" colours
scattered through for better-off individuals - reds, blues, light
greens - and for the trim on the jackets, with saffron yellow and
purple reserved for the elite - commanders, cavalry, etc."

What the Xyston miniatures don't show, but the AMPW drawing they're
based on does, is that the jacket in the main source has the trim
round the upper arms as well as at the edges - see the main
sculptural source at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:GreekKing%28Drawing%29.jpg   **
(though I would not really agree with the "Indo-Greek" identification here).
Other later representations of similar
jackets don't always show this trim, so you don't need to put it on
everyone.

As for skin colour, I imagne they'd look much like modern Afghans or
northern Pakistanis. Culturally Indian with strong Iranian
influences.

cheers,
Duncan

duncan.head1@ntlworld.com

Jeff adds:

** Also see:
http://www.4to40.com/discoverindia/index.asp?article=discoverindia_mauryansungaperiod

Xyston 18mm Mountain Indians available at Brookhurst hobbies

Questions or Comments Email: jjonasartist@sbcglobal.net

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