Shard

Art Historical Context

This delicate *Shard*, a painted terracotta fragment from ancient (ca. 4th–5th century), a glimpse into the everyday artistry of the Gandhara region. Measuring just 1 5/8 inches high 2 inches wide, this tiny ceramic piece—acquired through the Seymour Fund in 2 and now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art Asian Art Department—survives as a testament to skilled craftsmanship in a bustling cultural crossroads. Gandhara, spanning modern-day Pakistan and Afghanistan, was a vibrant hub during the Kushan and its aftermath, where Greco-Roman, Persian, and Indian influences fused, most famously in Buddhi...