Ramdas and Other Miscellaneous Collections of the Buddhist Stone Sculptures in Taxila Museum- Question of their Provenance: A Descriptive and Stylistic Analysis

Abstract

The Archaeological Museum, Taxila apart from housing a large number of Buddhist sculptures recovered during systematic archaeological excavations in Taxila Valley during the colonial and post-colonial periods, also houses some collections of the Buddhist stone sculptures received from different institutions and agencies but without establishment of their provenance. Three collections from Taxila Museum have been selected for the present study. The largest of the selected three collections is known as Ramdas Collection, which consists of the sculptures left by Shri Ramdas, an antique dealer of Rawalpindi who migrated to India in 1947. While, Wah and Naushara collections were confiscated by the police department from antique smugglers and handed over to Taxila Museum for safe custody and preservation. Since their entry in the museum, these collections were lying without any proper documentation and research. There have been four basic objectives behind selection of these collection for research: (a) to prepare a detailed catalogue of the sculptures with their present location and state of preservation, (b) to identify subject matter of the sculptures with the help of Buddhist scriptures and historical records, (c) to classify them according to the subject matter, material and types, and (d) stylistic analysis and comparative study to establish provenance and chronology of the sculptures. Multidimesional approach was adopted during the course of research in a bid to achieve the above-mentioned aims and objectives of the study. The visual study of these sculptures reveals that the material of the overwhelming sculptures is grey schist and only two specimens were found in black schist during study. With the help of contextual analysis, the present research has been able to identify eleven different subjects portrayed in the sculptures. Typological study of the sculptures in terms of their usage in the architecture of stupa has revealed eight types. Stylistic and comparative study proved that collections under study contain sculptures from central Gandhara, Taxila, Dir, sites in Karamar hills and Rustam valley in north-eastern part of Gandhara. Chronologically, sculptures of the collections under study are widely distributed in eleven groups ranging between 150 to 460 C.E.