An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c17.s8.14

v1.c17.s8.14

Stūpa 2 (2nd century B C.) of Sonari, Dt Raisen, yielded a large steatite vase decorated with motifs representing animals within compartments, flowers and petals (Cunningham, 1854). Inside the vase were five relic caskets, each inscribed with the name of the teacher whose bone was interred within. These teachers were Kāsapagota, Majhima, Gotīputa, Kosikīputa and Alabagira. Three of these caskets are of steatite and present a projecting flat base, a globular body and a pinnacled top. The fourth one is a flattish round reliquary of crystal. The somewhat pear-shaped fifth casket, with a projecting flat base, of black steatite is decorated with a succession of triangles, alternately plain and hatched. Stūpa 1 of this place produced four caskets, placed one within the other. The outermost casket and the next one, both of stone, have a flat base, cylindrical body and a convex top. The third one, also of stone, presents the shape of a double *ghaṭa*, one above the other, the upper one having a pinnacled top, disc base and spherical body. Inside this was a small crystal casket with a disc base, globular body and knob at the crown.