Overview
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Fragment of a statue made of stucco. This is the head of a Bodhisattva with a curly moustache. The hair is parted from the centre and fastened in a fan-shaped topknot. The Bodhisattva wears an elaborate crown, consisting of a beaded tiara which supports three plaques that are decorated with formalised floral motifs. Traces of pigments make clear that the face was originally painted white, the hair blue and the eyebrows, pupils as well as the moustache black. The crown has red and green details.;
Date
700 to 899
Find site
Measurement
height 30 centimetres
Material
Language / script
Subject
Description
Scope and content : Fragment of a statue made of stucco. This is the head of a Bodhisattva with a curly moustache. The hair is parted from the centre and fastened in a fan-shaped topknot. The Bodhisattva wears an elaborate crown, consisting of a beaded tiara which supports three plaques that are decorated with formalised floral motifs. Traces of pigments make clear that the face was originally painted white, the hair blue and the eyebrows, pupils as well as the moustache black. The crown has red and green details.;
Institution
Historical information
show / hide Historical informationProvenance
Find site identifier
Min.
Stein site number
Mi.xviii.0010
Find site description
Site near Shorchuk, Karashahr, 20-30 miles east of Lake Baghrash on the northern arm of the Silk Road. It is called 'Ming-oi' meaning the 'Thousand Houses' and consists of an extensive collection of Buddhist shrines. Stein excavated there on his second expedition to Chinese Central Asia. Hedin and Grünwedel had excavated there previously.
Short description : Buddhist Caves north of Korla
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The British Museum Reproduced by kind permission of the Trustees of the British Museum