1875.] F. S. Growse — Supposed Greek Sculpture at Mathurd. 215 



ing under the conventional canopy of serpents' heads, with a garland of 

 •wild-flowers (ban-mala) thrown across his body ; and while his right hand 

 is raised above his head in wild gesticulation, in his left hand he holds a 

 cup very similar to the one represented in the Pali-Khera sculpture. His 

 head-dress closely resembles Krishna's distinctive ornament the mulcut, but 

 it may be only the spiral coil of hair observable in the Sanchi and Amara- 

 vati sculptures. In any case, the inference must not be pressed too far ; for 

 first the hooded snake is as constant an accompaniment of Sakya Muni as 

 of Balarama ; and, secondly, I have in my possession another sculpture of an 

 equally Bacchanalian character, which is unmistakeably Buddhist. This is 

 a rudely executed figure of a fat little fellow (vide PI. XIV), who has both 

 his hands raised above his head, and holds in one a cup, in the other a bunch 

 of grapes. The head with its close curling hair leaves no doubt that 

 Buddha is the person intended ; though possibly in the days of his youth, 

 when " he dwelt still in his palace and indulged himself in all carnal 

 pleasures." Or it might be a caricature of Buddhism as regarded from the 

 point of view of a Brahmanieal ascetic. 



Finally, as to the nationality of the artist. The foliage, it must 

 be observed, is identical in character with what is seen on many Buddhist 

 pillars found in the immediate neighbourhood, and generally in connection 

 with figures of Maya Devi ; whence it may be presumed that it is intended 

 to represent the Sal tree, under which Buddha was born. The other minor 

 accessories are also with one exception either clearly Indian, or at least not 

 strikingly un-Indian : such as the ear-rings and bangles worn by the female 

 figures and the feet either bare or certainly not shod with sandals. 

 The one exception is the male attendant in Group IV, with the mantle 

 fastened at the neck by a fibula, and hanging from the shoulder in van- 

 dyked folds, which are very suggestive of late Greek design. But consi- 

 dering the local character of all the other accessories, I find it impossible 

 to agree with General Cunningham in ascribing the work to a foreign 

 artist, " one of a small body of Bactrian sculptors, who found employ- 

 ment among the wealthy Buddhists at Mathura, as in later days Eu- 

 ropeans were employed under the Mughul Emperors." The thoroughly 

 Indian character of the details seems to me, as to Babu Rajendralala, 

 decisive proof that the sculptor was a native of the country ; nor do I 

 think it very strange that he should represent one of the less important 

 characters as clothed in a modified Greek costume ; since it is an established 

 historical fact that Mathura was included in the Bactrian Empire, and the 

 Greek style of dress cannot have been altogether unfamiliar to him. The 

 artificial folds of the drapery were probably borrowed from what he saw on 

 coins. 



