Studies in Indian Art c12.s3.t2.13

c12.s3.t2.13

This Avalokiteśvara head is almost an ancient duplicate of a similar Avalokiteśvara head in the Sanchi Museum [B. 30, Plate XV of the Catalogue of the Museum of Archaeology at Sanchi, also p. 38] Both these heads cannot be later than the 3rd century A.D. It is practically certain that a group of Mathurā artists was working at Sanchi during the Kuṣāṇa period. Images in Mathurā stone and style have been discovered at this site [Cf. Sanchi Museum Catalogue, A. 83]. Specially interesting is the inscribed pedestal of the image of Bodhisattva Maitreya. On the front of its pedestal is a figure of Bodhisattva Maitreya seated cross-legged, wearing usual ornaments including amulet string, and holding a small amṛta-ghaṭa in left hand. [A. 84, Sanchi Museum,, photo on plate VIII (b) of A.S.R., 1912-13, Pt. I [Fig. 72]