The Buddhist Art of Gandhara: The Story of the Early School, its Birth, Growth and Decline c14.11

c14.11

In connexion with these sacred images another noteworthy feature that first made its appearance at this time was the small figural relief, illustrative of some familiar Buddhist scene, which was now used to adorn the base of an image in place of the geometric or floral design that had previously served that purpose. Once introduced, the new figural relief soon came into general vogue, and often constitutes a valuable index to the date of the image to which it belongs.