This sculpture of the Buddha dates from about the early second century A.D. Before this time, the Buddha’s presence was represented abstractly, using symbols. This is one of the earliest images to present him in human form. Certain motifs you see here would later become standard: the figure sits with legs crossed, meditating. The raised gesture of his right hand tells the viewer not to fear, while his left hand holds the ends of his garment.

Over the next few centuries, artists developed a range of such postures and gestures to depict important moments in the Buddha’s life. Some features of this piece, however, did not make the canon. For example, you find mustaches, a symbol of princely status, only on early Buddhas like this one. And the spiked halo is unique. One scholar has suggested that it was derived from portraits of the Roman emperor Nero. He liked to be depicted in the guise of Helios, the Sun God, with a similar halo. In fact, artists from Gandhara, where this statue was made, were familiar with Greek and Roman culture through trade. The soft, naturalistic folds of the Buddha’s garment also reflect this classical influence as well.

By the fourth century, artists had codified the postures, gestures, and symbols used to depict the Buddha. This sculpture provides a rare glimpse into that process of codification.

If you’d like to hear more about the Buddha and Buddhist belief, and haven’t done so already, press play now.