An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c17.s8.4

v1.c17.s8.4

Though many *stūpas* have yielded charred bones, it has not been possible to identify the concerned persons in most cases owing to the absence of inscriptions mentioning the names of the persons whose bones were enshrined. Though Hiuen Tsang noticed a large number of *stūpas* built by Aśoka throughout the country, very few can be identified for lack of definite evidence. In fact no relic casket bearing the name of Aśoka as the donor of the casket or the builder of the *stūpa* has so far been found. In the core of the Dharmarājikā Stūpa at SARNATH attributed to Aśoka was found a sandstone box. Inside the box was a green marble relic casket containing a few pieces of bone, decayed pearls, gold leaves and some not costly jewels. The nucleus of the Dharmarājikā Stūpa at Taxila is also believed to have been built by Aśoka. Though no relics were found inside, from one of the smaller *stūpas* by its side relics were recovered. In the relic chamber of this *stūpa* were discovered four earthen lamps, four coins and a steatite vase; the vase contained a gold casket together with three gold safetypins and beads of ruby, garnet, amethyst and crystal; within the gold casket were beads of bone and ruby with pieces of silver leaf, coral and stone, apart from bone relic. Other *stūpas* and shrines at Taxila produced a good number of relics (Marshall, 1951). In fact close to the small *stūpa* just mentioned a small shrine yielded a silver vase placed within a schist vessel; within the vase was a gold relic casket with some minute bone relics and an inscribed silver scroll recording the enshrinement of the relics of Buddha in the Bodhisattva shrine. The relic chamber of the colossal *stūpa* built by Kaniṣka at Peshawar yielded an inscribed metal casket containing a hexagonal crystal reliquary holding three pieces of bones believed to be of Buddha; on the body and lid of the inscribed casket are figures of Buddha.