Circa 400 AD A finely carved grey schist palette from the ancient region of Gandhara. This shallow, bowl-shaped dish features an ornamented rim and a finely carved scene filling most of the interior, leaving the remaining space subdivided in compartments. The scene depicts Buddha with his hands in the position of meditation, or dhyanamudra. The Buddha is portrayed wearing a simple, monastic robe over both shoulders, covering his entire body, with the only exception of his hands. Alongside him, in the next compartments are six worshippers dressed in robes with hair knot.Palettes of this type are one of the earliest finds of Gandharan sculpture, having been produced since around 200 BC, under the Indo-Greek and Indo-Parthian kingdoms. Such small dishes were usually carved in schist, serpentine or steatite, and have been recovered especially in domestic contexts, suggesting their use in everyday life as toilet and cosmetic trays. Size: L:253mm / W:32mm; 3kg Provenance: From the collection of a London gentleman; formerly acquired in early 2000s in Belgium; previously in 1970s European collection.