{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O25057"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O25057/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BC5307/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BC5307/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006BC5307","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O25057/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O25057","accessionNumber":"IS.69-1986","objectType":"Sculpture","titles":[{"title":"Fragment of Relief","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"Fragment of a carved frieze of bells, sandstone, originally from the stupa at Bharhut, Madhya Pradesh, Shunga period, 2nd century BC.","physicalDescription":"This fragment of a carved frieze depicting stories from the Buddha's previous incarnations (Jatakas) and events  in his life.\r\nCoping stone fragment with a frieze of bells.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[{"text":"carving","id":"AAT53149"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Carved red sandstone","categories":[{"text":"Architecture","id":"THES48993"},{"text":"Sculpture","id":"THES48896"},{"text":"Buddhism","id":"THES48984"}],"styles":[{"text":"Sunga period","id":"x32285"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2006BC5307"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"E","id":"THES296967"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Coping Stone","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Bharhut","id":"THES271448"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""},{"place":{"text":"Madhya Pradesh","id":"x29831"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"late 2nd century B.C.","earliest":"0150-01-01","latest":"0200-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"12","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"14/03/2025","earliest":"2025-03-14","latest":"2025-03-14"},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"20","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"14/03/2025","earliest":"2025-03-14","latest":"2025-03-14"},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"4.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"14/03/2025","earliest":"2025-03-14","latest":"2025-03-14"},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":" This architectural fragment came from the enclosure railing at the Bharhut stupa.","historicalContext":"This frieze of bells is a fragment from the lower register of the massive coping stones which formed part of the stone railing enclosing the circuambulatory path around the stupa at Bharhut.  The antiquity of the now lost stupa is unknown but the railing appears, on the basis of surviving donor inscriptions, to date to the second half of the 2nd century B.C.  The railings and gateways are extensively carved with reliefs depicting stories from the Buddha's previous incarnations (Jatakas) and events in his life.  They are remarkable for the richness of genre detail which they contain.  The upper register of the coping stones is decorated with stepped merlons alternating with lotuses, the lower with a chain of hanging bells as seen in this example.","briefDescription":"Fragment of a carved frieze, sandstone, Bharhut, Shunga period, 2nd century BC.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"A. Cunningham,<u>The Stupa of Bharhut</u>, London 1879, 2nd Edition, Varanasi, 1962.\r\n"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"A. Ghosh,<u> Remains of the Bharhut Stupa in the Indian Museum</u>, Calcutta, 1978."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Guy, John, <u>Indian Temple Sculpture</u>, London V&A Publications, 2007, pl.24, p.29"}],"production":"Bharhut, Madhya Pradesh, India","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[{"text":"Buddhism","id":"AAT73738"}],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"4. Fragment from a Stupa Railing\r\n150–1 BC \r\nShunga period \r\n\r\nBuddhist stupas or relic mounds were \r\nsurrounded by carved stone railings. Pilgrims \r\nwent round and round the stupa in a ritual walk \r\non a path enclosed by the railing.This fragment\ncomes from the massive coping stone on top of \r\nthe railing at Bharhut, a key site in the study of \r\nearly Buddhist sculpture. \r\n\r\nSandstone \r\nCentral India (Bharhut, Madhya Pradesh) \r\n\r\n\r\nMuseum no. IS.69-1986 ","date":{"text":"06/06/2011","earliest":"2011-06-06","latest":"2011-06-06"}}],"partNumbers":["IS.69-1986"],"accessionNumberNum":"69","accessionNumberPrefix":"IS","accessionYear":1986,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-09-10","recordCreationDate":"2000-02-13","availableToBook":false}}