Gandhara Stone – Shisht Excessively Rare Reliquary – 78 mm

Stunning Ancient Ghandaran 300-200 ADrWith Text on the top of the Lid .rrrVery Rare Piece rrWeight : 727.05 Gram rHigh : 78 mmrWide : 101 mmrMaterial : Stone rSee images for own impression and provenancerBeter in real then in imagerOwn private collection inherited from Grandfather, who built the collection in the 1960's "rrrrHere's a polished and rephrased version of your text:rr---rrA 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. rrBuddhism 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.rrThis vessel was crafted... lees verder bij Catawiki