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Fragment of a railing coping with an unidentified jataka

ca. 150–100 BCE
Not on view
Returned to lender
This work of art was on loan to the museum and has since been returned to its lender.
This section of a railing coping from the Bharhut Great Stupa shows narrative scenes separated by an undulating lotus-vine creeper. Such reliefs were positioned on the inner face of the coping so they could be read by visitors as they progressed around the circumambulatory passageway. Open lotus blooms serve as veritable cornucopias, yielding rich textiles and precious jewels, including a four-strand necklace, plain and granulated earrings, and a tripartite crown. These, in combination with presently unidentified narrative scenes, indicate the artist has endeavored to both educate and entice worshippers.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Fragment of a railing coping with an unidentified jataka
  • Period: Shunga
  • Date: ca. 150–100 BCE
  • Culture: India, Bharhut Great Stupa, Satna district, Madhya Pradesh
  • Medium: Sandstone
  • Dimensions: H. 20 1/2 in. (52 cm); W. 36 5/8 in. (93 cm); Est. D. 7 7/8 in. (20 cm)
  • Classification: Sculpture
  • Credit Line: Lent by Allahabad Museum, Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh
  • Rights and Reproduction: Photo by Theirry Ollivier
  • Curatorial Department: Asian Art