The Antiquities of Orissa v1.c9.164.1

v1.c9.164.1

**Origin of Indian plastic art:** Of plastic art, a few specimens have been from time time to met with towards the North-Western frontier, which bear more or less traces of Greek character on them. Some time ago a few images were found in the Eusufzai country, which in style and execution seemed very like debased Greek works.⁶⁹ A figure of Buddha in slate stone, found by Dr. J. G. Gerard in the ruins of an ancient town two miles S. E. of Cabul,⁷⁰ is supposed by some to have marks of genuine Bactrian formation. A stucco head found in Peshawar, and exhibited by Major Baker at a meeting of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, in November, 1851, was also supposed to have the same character.⁷¹ The peculiarities of these figures are, however, not so decidedly Greek, as to leave no room for question. The same cannot be said of a remarkable piece of sculpture in red sandstone found at Mathurā by the late Colonel L. R. Stacy, and now deposited in the Indian Museum. It represents a large *tazza*, surrounded by two groups of men and women. The bowl of the *tazza* is broken; the figures have suffered much from decay; and their faces have been knocked off by the iconoclastic zeal of some fanatics. Enough, however, remains of the whole to attach to this piece of carving peculiar interest in connexion with the history of Indian plastic art. Apparently it embodies the most curious mixture of Indian and foreign ideas and objects that has ever come under notice.