Reliquary

Art Historical Context

This exquisite reliquary, carved from schist in the ancient region of Gandhara (modern-day Pakistan), dates tentatively to the first three quarters of the 1st century CE. Measuring just 2 inches in diameter, this small stone sculpture exemplifies the portable devotional art of early Buddhism. Reliquaries like this one were designed to house sacred relics—such as bone fragments or ashes of enlightened beings—and were often placed within stupas or carried by pilgrims, reflecting the faith's emphasis on veneration and mindfulness. Gandhara, a cultural crossroads under the Kushan Empire, fused He...