Afghan Kushan Empire Stone Carving

Central Asia, Kushan Empire, ca. 1st to 3rd centuries CE. A fascinating carved stone artifact, disc-shaped, with a shallow groove between the decorated front and back faces. The front face depicts a large-bellied human figure in relief, perhaps a woman, seated with her hand raised to her chin, adorned with a dramatic three-part coiffure and extensive bracelets. The back face features an elegant relief carving of a flower. The Kushan Empire controlled part of the Silk Road between China and the Mediterranean, and its position as a crossroads led to the creation of a dynamic fusion culture. Plaques like this one give us a hint to the elaborate clothing and personal ornamentation that elite people wore during this period. Size: 2.2" W x 0.7" H (5.6 cm x 1.8 cm)

Provenance: private California, USA collection, by descent, moved from Germany in 1997, originally collected in the 1970s in Hamburg, Germany

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#156064
Condition Report: Intact, with some shallow surface cracks. Light deposits in lower profile areas. Nice preservation of motifs.