Gandhara Stone - Shisht Excessively Rare Reliquary - 78 mm

Stunning Ancient Ghandaran 300-200 ADr
With Text on the top of the Lid .r
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Very Rare Piece r
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Weight : 727.05 Gram r
High : 78 mmr
Wide : 101 mmr
Material : Stone r
See images for own impression and provenancer
Beter in real then in imager
Own private collection inherited from Grandfather, who built the collection in the 1960's "r
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Here's a polished and rephrased version of your text:r
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A reliquary is a container created to hold sacred relics. According to religious tradition, after the historical Buddha Shakyamuni's death, his body was cremated and his ashes were divided among eight reliquaries. These reliquaries were then enshrined within eight hemispherical, dome-shaped structures called stupas. In the 3rd century B.C., the north Indian ruler King Ashoka is said to have opened these monuments, further subdividing the relics and distributing them among an even greater number of stupas. This act was seen as a profound expression of devotion, as it allowed more followers to venerate the Buddha's remains. r
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Buddhism spread from the Ganges basin to Gandhara in the 2nd century B.C., and over the following centuries, many religious centers in Gandhara claimed to house Buddha relics. These sites became important destinations for pilgrims from across Asia, particularly from China.r
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This vessel was crafted as a small-scale, self-contained monument, likely intended to house a relic along with small offerings such as glass beads or coins. Miniature stupas like this were often commissioned as reliquaries for the remains of revered monks or devout Buddhist followers. Lay patrons commonly donated such objects to monasteries as a means of accruing merit and promoting good karma.r
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The vessel features an elegant design, with stylized foliage adorning its lid. Its small, umbrella-like finial alludes to the architecture of stupas that originally enshrined the Buddha’s relics. In Buddhist symbolism, the stupa’s base represents the earthly realm, while the umbrellas signify the heavens, reflecting the cosmic order. r
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Carved from green schist—a locally sourced material favored by Gandharan artisans—this remarkable object stands as a tangible testament to early Buddhist devotion, carrying significant historical and religious meaning.r
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For a comparable example, see *The Art of Gandhara in the Metropolitan Museum of Art* (New York, 2007), p. 24, fig. 21.r
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Would you also like a slightly shorter or even more formal version, depending on your needs (e.g., for a catalog, exhibition label, or article)?r
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