[Photo.34/(013)] Amaravati (nos. 70, 71, 72)

Photograph of three excavated sculptural fragments. The reference numbers allocated to the pieces refer to Robert Sewell’s ‘Report on the Amaravati Tope, and Excavations on its site in 1877’ (London, 1880) in which the pieces are described.

‘Three marbles easy to remove I carried away and placed mongst those at the mound, afterwards conveying them to the Bezwada Museum where they now lie. These I numbered 70, 71, 72, and had them photographed. ‘No. 70 (2 ft. 2 in. by 1 ft. 1 in.) This is a beautiful and well-preserved fargment from one of the dagobas of the Inner Enclosure. The figures, standing out with all the clear relief of ivory carvings, are only about 3 inches high. In the upper portion is an enthroned Buddha, with disciples. No. 71 is one of the Inner Enclosure pillars, 5 ft. high by 1 ft. 1 in. broad. It represents the chakra (‘Dharma-chakra,’ or ‘wheel of the Law’; query, sun-emblem?) supported on a pillar, with figures and horses in excited attitudes rising from it on either side. (F. LXXV.) ‘No. 72 ( 1 ft. 10 in. by 7 in.) is another similar fragment, but smaller. It is the top of a small pillar of the same design.’

Robert Sewell
‘Report on the Amaravati Tope, and excavations on its site in 1877’ (London, 1880, p. 51)

Faded ptint. Original negative not held. Part of a collection of twenty albumen prints mounted on card, with captions written in ink beneath the prints and all signed ‘R. Sewell’.