{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O25176"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O25176/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AU5783/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AU5783/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AU5783","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KB8008","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KB8031","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O25176/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O25176","accessionNumber":"IM.219-1921","objectType":"Reliquary","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This relic container was excavated at Stupa 2 at Sonari, a Buddhist monastery six miles south-west of Sanchi, by Alexander Cunningham and F. C. Maisey in 1851. It was found to contain three miniature reliquaries – two in steatite and one in rock crystal - as well as a quantity of powdered bone-ash and a piece of wood. It is shaped to resemble a lotus bud, with incised petals decorating the lower half of the reliquary. It was turned on the lathe and then carved in low relief with bands of lotus-petals on the shoulder and lower part of the body, whilst on the upper body there is a broad zone divided into eight rectangular compartments in each of which is an elephant, horse, deer or winged lion, typical motifs of the Mauryan period. It was first published by A Cunningham in <u>The Bhilsa Topes</u> in 1854.\n    It was customary from the time of the Buddha’s death to preserve and venerate his relics. Under the great Mauryan emperor Asoka (circa 268-233 BC), a convert to Buddhism and an energetic patron of the faith, a series of stupas, relic mounds, were erected across the empire, marking sites of significance in the Buddha’s life. This practice continued, and this relic container is believed to have been interned around 200 BC. Relic deposits of this period usually represented re-deposits of original Buddha corporal relics.","physicalDescription":"The container has a bulbous shape on a ridged foot with a domed lid. The main body of the vase is divided into two registers with the lower one decorated with an engraved design of lotus petals, also found as a smaller band on its shoulder. The upper part of the body has a wide band of eight rectangular compartments separated by broad vertical  incised uprights with upper and lower framing incised bands. The compartments depict various animals comprising elephants, bridled horses, a winged beast and spotted deer set among abstract floral motifs.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"steatite","id":"AAT11668"}],"techniques":[{"text":"","id":""},{"text":"carving","id":"AAT53149"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Lathe-turned and carved in shallow relief mottled steatite of a predominantly beige colour with some patches and lines of purple pigmentation.","categories":[{"text":"Containers","id":"THES48972"},{"text":"Buddhism","id":"THES48984"}],"styles":[{"text":"Mauryan","id":"x40291"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2006AU5783","2017KB8008","2017KB8031"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"20","id":"THES49852"},"free":"","case":"CA001","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"reliquaries","id":"AAT187549"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Madhya Pradesh","id":"x29831"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"Stupa 2, Sonari near Sanchi"}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 200 BC","earliest":"-0205-01-01","latest":"-0196-01-01"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"IM.219A-1921","id":"O455757"},"association":"Object"}],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Diameter","value":"17.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"14/03/2023","earliest":"2023-03-14","latest":"2023-03-14"},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"16.8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"14/03/2023","earliest":"2023-03-14","latest":"2023-03-14"},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Recovered from the relic chamber of Stupa 2 at Sonari by Alexander Cunningham and F.C. Maisey during their excavations in 1851. When excavated it contained five small relic caskets, (including IM.220-1921, IM.221-1921 and IM.222-1921 in the V&A's collection and one reliquary in the British Museum) together with beads, a small quantity of bone ash and a piece of wood (possibly sandalwood). The ash and the piece of wood were handed over to Professor M.S. Sundaram, representing the government of India in 1958.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Reliquary from Stupa No 2, Sonari, central India, steatite, ca. 200 BC","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Willis, Michael, <u>Buddhist Reliquaries from Ancient India</u>, London, British Museum Press, 2000, p.85, No.14, figs 91 &amp; 92\r\n\r\n"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Guy, John,<u> Indian Temple Sculpture</u>, London, V &A Publications, 2007, p 30. pl. 29.\r\nISBN 971851775095"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Guy, John (ed.),<u> La Escultura en los Templos Indios: El Arte de la Devoción</u>,  Barcelona, Fundación La Caixa, 2007,  p.158, No.116ISBN: 978-84-7664-945-9"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Cunningham, Sir Alexander. <u>The Bhilsa Topes; or Buddhist Monuments of Central India: comprising a brief historical sketch of the rise, progress and decline of Buddhism; with an account of the opening and examination of the various groups of topes around Bhilsa</u>. London: Smith, Elder &amp; Co., 1854.pp. 315-319, Plate XXIV."},{"reference":{"text":"Guy, J. <i>Tree and Serpent: Early Buddhist Art in India</i>, The Metropolitian Museum of Art. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2023.","id":"AUTH411627"},"details":"pp. 107-109","free":""}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[{"text":"Buddhism","id":"AAT73738"}],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"1-3. Buddhist Reliquaries\r\n\r\nBuddhists deposited the remains of venerated teachers in reliquaries and then enshrined them in large hemispherical mounds called stupas.\r\n\r\nThese reliquaries were all excavated in 1851 from stupas near Sanchi, one of the most important early Buddhist sites in India. The large container (1) held beads and five smaller reliquaries (including 2). The crystal reliquary (3) contained minute bone fragments. Its shape, including the umbrella finial, resembles that of a full-size stupa.\r\n\r\nCentral India\r\nAll found near Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh\r\nFrom the collection of General F.C. Maisey\r\n\r\n\r\n1. Probably before 100 BC\r\nSteatite\r\nFrom Sonari stupa no. 2\r\nMuseum no. IM.219-1921\r\n\r\n2. Probably 1-100 BC\r\nSteatite\r\nFrom Sonari stupa no. 2\r\nInscribed in Brahmi as having held the relics of Majhima Kodiniputa, a Buddhist missionary to the Himalayas\r\nMuseum no. IM.221-1921\r\n\r\n3. 1-100 BC\r\nRock crystal\r\nFrom Bhojpur stupa no. 2\r\nMuseum no. IM.223-1921\r\n","date":{"text":"14/06/2014","earliest":"2014-06-14","latest":"2014-06-14"}},{"text":"1–3. Buddhist Reliquaries \r\n\r\nBuddhists deposited the remains of venerated \r\nteachers in reliquaries and then enshrined them \r\nin large hemispherical mounds called stupas. \r\n\r\nThese reliquaries were all excavated in 1851 from \r\nstupas near Sanchi,one of the most importantearly Buddhist sites in India.The large container (1) \r\nheld beads and five smaller reliquaries (including \r\n2).The crystal reliquary (3) contained minute bone \r\nfragments.Its shape,including the umbrella finial,\r\nresembles that of a full-size stupa. \r\n\r\nCentral India \r\nAll found near Sanchi,Madhya Pradesh \r\n\r\n1.Probably before 100 BC\r\nSteatite \r\nFrom Sonari stupa no.2\r\nMuseum no.IM.219-1921 \r\n","date":{"text":"06/06/2011","earliest":"2011-06-06","latest":"2011-06-06"}}],"partNumbers":["IM.219-1921"],"accessionNumberNum":"219","accessionNumberPrefix":"IM","accessionYear":1921,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LU2220"],"recordModificationDate":"2026-05-15","recordCreationDate":"2000-02-14","availableToBook":false}}