A History of Fine Art in India and Ceylon, from the Earliest Times to the Present Day c16.s4.1

c16.s4.1

Numerous reliquaries or caskets—made of various materials, gold, silver, bronze, rock-crystal, &c.—have been excavated from *stūpas* in India and the neighbouring countries. Most of these, while of high archaeological interest, are of little account as works of art. One such may be briefly noticed because of the testimony borne by its contents to the disputed date of Kanishka, a matter which I have been obliged to touch on more than once. The reliquary referred to was found in the Ahīn Pōsh tope or *stūpa* at Jalālābād in the valley of the Kābul river, and is now in the Gem Room of the British Museum. It is simply a plain octagonal cylinder (if the expression be allowable) with a knob at each end set with green stones and almandine garnets. It contained one coin of Kanishka and one of Kadphises II (Wima). Lying around it were fourteen other coins of the same kings, with one piece of Huvishka, the successor of Kanishka, and one each of Domitian (A.D. 81–96), Trajan (A.D. 98–117), and Sabina Augusta, wife of Hadrian (A.D. 117–138). These facts plainly suggest, although they do not absolutely demonstrate, that Huvishka, the latest of the three Indian kings, must have been the builder of the *stūpa* and the contemporary of Hadrian. That natural inference is strongly confirmed by the additional facts that the single coin of Huvishka was in good condition, whereas some of the coins of his immediate predecessor, Kanishka, were 'much worn', and those of Kadphises II were 'very much worn'; while the one coin of Sabina Augusta was 'considerably worn'. In all probability, therefore, the coins were deposited not earlier than A.D. 130, Sabina having assumed the title of Augusta in 117. This evidence, not noticed or considered by Mr. R. D. Banerji, harmonizes so well with his view, based on inscriptions, that Huvishka reigned alone from A.D. 123 to 140, Kanishka having died in the former year, that at present I accept that theory of the chronology.¹ The dates to be assigned to the sculptures discussed in Chapters IV and V of this work depend in large measure on the date of Kanishka.