Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v1.c28.s8.t4.8

v1.c28.s8.t4.8

Kurkihar (24º 49' N, 85º 15' E), 16 miles from Gayā was another centre for bronze casting. It has yielded the famous twelfth century AD gilt bronze Padmapāṇi. Ten cart load of idols of the Buddhist tāntrika period excavated in 1848 is now in the Indian Museum, Calcutta. Another rich hoard of 200 bronze objects (148 Buddhist, the rest Brāhmaṇical of fine workmanship, stūpas, bells; large number of crowned Buddhas) are now kept in the Patna Museum. The largest piece is the 5 ft standing Buddha, gilded and ornamented with inlaid silver. The 1930 excavation uncovered a partly exposed metal-smelting annexe proving that Kurkihar was a prolific centre of metal casting. Many dedicatory inscriptions were found bearing regnal years of the Pāla Kings. (Mitra, 1971, 1980: 89-90)