coping

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Object Type
Museum number: 1880,0709.23
Description: Railing coping slab (uṣṇīṣa) carved in limestone; only the inner face remains. -On the inner face: the Interpretation of Maya's dream, Birth of Buddha and Prince Siddhartha in his harem. -Outer face lost.
Production date: 3rdC
Production place: Made in: Amaravati, Buddhist stupa
Excavator/field collector
Findspot: Found/Acquired: Amaravati
Materials
Technique
Dimensions: Height: 82.50 centimetres; Thickness: 17.50 centimetres; Width: 258.75 centimetres
Bibliographic references: Tripe 1859 / Photographs of the Elliot Marbles and other subjects in the Central Museum, Madras (1 & 12); Fergusson 1873 / Tree and Serpent Worship (LXV, 3); Barrett 1954 / Sculptures from Amaravati in the British Museum (90); Stern & Benisti 1952 / Evolution du Stupa Figure dans les Sculptures D'Amaravati (LVIII b, LIX B); NHK 1991 / Daiei Hakubutsukan 4: Indo, bukkyo bijutsu no kaika (68); Knox 1992 / Amaravati: Buddhist sculpture from the Great Stupa (41)
Location: Not on display
Condition: The piece is broken into three or four segments and has suffered breakage and abrasion in the area of the carving.
Subjects: birth; harem; interior; tree/bush; dream/vision; buddha
Associated names: Representation of: Queen Maya; Representation of: Buddha; Representation of: Buddha (Śākyamuni/Shijiamouni/Shaka)
Associated places: Used in: Amaravati
Associated events: Associated Event: Birth of Buddha; Associated Event: Interpretation of Maya's Dream
Acquisition name
Acquisition date: 1880
Acquisition notes: Acquired as the result of the abolition in 1879 of the India Museum (Exhibition Road, London) and the partition of its contents between the British Museum and The South Kensington Museum (Victoria and Albert Museum).
Department: Asia
Registration number: 1880,0709.23
Additional IDs: Miscellaneous number: Elliot no 1; Miscellaneous number: IM 1876 no 59

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