An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c17.s8.20

v1.c17.s8.20

Within the brick relic chamber in the centre of the *stūpa* at Sopara, Dt Thana, was found a stone coffer with a convex base, sides and top (Indraji, 1881-2). It contained, one within other, five caskets, respectively of copper, silver, stone (?), crystal and gold, the last four *ghaṭa*-shaped. The gold casket with a globular body decorated with the design of inter-locking spirals contained, besides ten gold flowers, a piece of green glass and a spark of diamond, 13 tiny pieces of earthenware which are generally believed to be pieces of the begging bowl of Buddha. Inside the silver and crystal caskets were respectively 86 and 19 gold flowers. The maximum deposit was in the copper casket and comprised 295 gold flowers; a piece of silver wire, 13 pieces of semiprecious stones and green glass, a little patch of gold leaf, 31 stone beads, some gold beads, a small gold plaque pressed with the seated figure of Buddha and a silver coin of the Sātavāhana king Gautamīputra Yajña Sātakarṇi of the late 2nd century A.D. Around the copper casket and within the stone coffer were found arranged in a circle eight beautiful copper (or bronze) images of the 8th-9th century, representing seven Mānuṣi-Buddhas and Maitreya.