Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v2.c11.s4.t2.47

v2.c11.s4.t2.47

In 1908, a bronze Kaniska ‘*Sarira Box*’ was unearthed in the Great Stupa of Kanishka, with a sitting statue of Buddha, standing statues of Indra and Brahma cast on the box cover, a row of amoretto shouldering snakelike garland on the box body, and sitting statue of Buddha, and Persian sun-god and luna are carved on the garland, and Kushan king wearing the martial attire and thigh boot stands among them. In this stupa, a Kaniska gold coin was also unearthed. The front of the coin was the figure of Kanishka wearing martial attire of the leader of the nomadic people in Central Asia, holding the spear standing near the fire altar. The back of the coin was the standing Buddha statue with Greek style, and there was the inscription in Greek letter “Buddha” (Boddo).