The weakening of the Indus Valley Civilization led way to the Vedic India. The magnificent cities were emptied by the natives due to several reasons, one of them being the invasion of the Aryans. This new race brought in a new style of sculpture that was later to be known as the Vedic Indian sculpture. Strangely enough the Aryans did not settle into the well planned cities of Indus valley.

It must be mentioned here that there are no surviving specimen from the Vedic Indian sculptures. This is due to the fact that the Aryans did not built any monuments. However it was the Aryan architectural forms that were followed in India for ages to come. Whether it is the Buddhist caves or temples, the sculpture of these units were directly influenced by the structure of the simple villages that the Aryan built for themselves.

Although there are no surviving specimen from the Indian Vedic sculpture but ample examples are to be found in the Vedas. The ways in which the city and towns of the Aryans are described in the Indian epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata, are similar to the Buddhist sculptures. So it would not be completely wrong to say that the Buddhist sculptures were inspired by Vedic India. Moreover the Barhut and Sanchi stupas also represent the Aryan villages extensively.

The Vedic Indian sculpture comprises circular and rectangular shapes, thatched roofs, bamboo works and the use of wood.