Shard
Unknown Artist
ca. 4th–5th century
Medium
Painted terracotta
Dimensions
H. 2 1/2 in. (6.4 cm); W. 3 1/2 in. (8.9 cm); D. 3/4 in. (1.9 cm)
Classification
Ceramics
Culture
Pakistan
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Seymour Fund, 1992
Accession Number
1992.271.31
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate shard of painted terracotta, hailing from the Gandhara region of ancient Pakistan around the 4th–5th century CE, offers a glimpse into the vibrant ceramic traditions of early South Asian art. Measuring just 2½ inches high and 3½ inches wide, this fragment—acquired by the Metropolitan Museum Art through the Seymour Fund in 199—likely once formed part of a larger vessel, plaque, or architectural element. Its classification as ceramics within the Asian Art department underscores region's longstanding mastery of fired clay, a durable medium prized for both everyday use and ritual obj...