Dhokra is a non-ferrous metal casting tradition from India that uses the lost-wax technique and has been practised for more than 4,000 years. The process starts with a clay core shaped like the final object, which is covered in a layer of wax, usually beeswax mixed with resin and nut oil. The artisan carves the fine details into the wax and then covers it with clay. When the clay is fired, the wax melts out through drain ducts, leaving a hollow mould, which is filled with molten metal, often brass scrap. Once the metal hardens, the outer clay is chipped away and the figure is polished. Dhokra horses, elephants, peacocks and owls are prized for their simple form and folk motifs, and the technique has also been found in China, Egypt, Nigeria and Central America.

Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Karnataka, India, with more than 1,600 surviving remains spread over 4,100 hectares. It was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1336 to 1565. Travellers from Persia and Portugal described it as a prosperous, wealthy and grand city with temples, markets and farms along the Tungabhadra River. By 1500 it was estimated to be the world's second-largest city after Beijing, and probably India's richest at the time. In 1565 a coalition of Muslim sultanates defeated the Vijayanagara Empire, its capital was conquered and destroyed, and the city was left in ruins. Hampi remains a religious centre, with the active Virupaksha Temple at its heart.