Exchange: Globalization in the Ancient World

Globalization in the Ancient World

A fragment of a stucco relief sculpture.

Artist Unknown, Gandhara (Ancient Pakistan and Afghanistan)
Buddha, seated in the padmasana pose, in dhyana mudra, attended by Indra
stucco relief with traces of polychromy
10 1/4 in. x 9 5/8 in. x 3 3/4 in. ( 26 cm x 24.5 cm x 9.5 cm )
Museum purchase for the James Marshall Plumer Memorial Collection

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A fragment of a stone slab, originally a facing on the drum of a small stupa, carved with a narrative scene. In this relief, he is converting devotees of the fire god Agni, the three ascetic Kasyapa brothers and their disciples. In this narrative, the Buddha asked to spend the night in the fire temple of Uruvilva Kasyapa. The temple’s fire god worshipers thought the fearsome fire serpent that dwelled within the temple would vanquish the Buddha. Instead, the fiery radiance of the meditating Buddha overwhelmed the serpent, who crawled into the Buddha’s alms bowl; the defeated snake appears in this sculpture below the Buddha. Meanwhile, the dazzling radiance the Buddha emits has been mistaken for flames and a fire brigade using ladders and pots of water has been formed to put out the fire, as can be seen here. Seated in the posture and gesture of meditation, the Buddha’s calm presence is in contrast to the action unfolding around him. The three Kasyapa brothers, with their beards and matted hair, are at the bo

Artist Unknown, Gandhara (Ancient Pakistan and Afghanistan)
Scene from the life of the Buddha: Buddha triumphs over the fire snake at the Fire Temple of Uruvilva Kasyapa (architectural fragment)
grey schist
17 11/16 in. x 20 1/4 in. x 3 1/8 in. ( 45 cm x 51.5 cm x 8 cm )
Museum purchase made possible by the Margaret Watson Parker Art Collection Fund

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Wooden miniture model of a tower, comprised of a round base, a bar in the middle where three larger discs and six or seven small discs are inserted. A bulb-shaped ornament rests on top.

Japanese
Stupa: Hyakuman tô (one of one million pagodas)
carved wood with traces of gesso
8 3/8 in. x 4 1/8 in. x 4 1/8 in. ( 21.2 cm x 10.4 cm x 10.4 cm )
Museum purchase made possible by the Margaret Watson Parker Art Collection Fund

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Chinese
Mirror, Lion-and-Grape type
bronze
3/8 in. x 7 3/4 in. x 7 3/4 in. ( 0.9 cm x 19.7 cm x 19.7 cm )
Gift of Stephen H. and Patricia O. Spurr from the Henry Jewett Greene Collection

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Chinese
Mirror, Lion-and-Grape type
bronze
1/2 in. x 5 13/16 in. x 5 13/16 in. ( 1.2 cm x 14.7 cm x 14.7 cm )
Museum Purchase

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Chinese
Mirror, Lion-and-Grape type
bronze and azurite with black patina
1/2 in. x 5 1/8 in. x 5 1/8 in. ( 1.3 cm x 13 cm x 13 cm )
Museum purchase for the James Marshall Plumer Memorial Collection

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A porcelain ewer with a cylindrical body on a foot ring and a tall, narrow neck. It has a flat, wide, ear-shaped handle, covered with underglaze blue floral meander and clear glaze, and a replacement silver spout and domed lid.

Chinese
Ewer with Silver Fittings
porcelain, underglaze, glaze, and silver
15 1/2 in x 6 11/16 in x 6 11/16 in (39.37 cm x 16.99 cm x 16.99 cm);16 9/16 in x 10 1/2 in x 9 7/16 in (42.07 cm x 26.67 cm x 23.97 cm)
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John A. Pope for the James Marshall Plumer Memorial Collection

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A blue and white platter. White porcellanous body with painting in blue under a clear glaze slightly tinged with blue-green.

Ali ibn al-Hajj Muhammad
Platter with an inscription from a Hadith [a saying of the Prophet Muhammad], signed by Ali ibn al-Hajj Muhammad
fritware with underglaze painting, and clear glaze
2 15/16 in x 17 ¾ in x 17 ¾ in (7.5 cm x 45.1 cm x 45.1 cm);2 15/16 in (7.5 cm);x 17 ¾ in x 17 ¾ in x 45.1 cm x 45.1 cm
Transfer from the College of Architecture and Design

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Indian
Torso of a Conch Bearer
black stone
15 in x 5 1/2 in x 5 1/2 in (38.1 cm x 13.97 cm x 13.97 cm)
Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Irving F. Burton

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Thai
Standing Buddha
bronze
9 7/16 in. x 2 9/16 in. x 2 3/8 in. ( 24 cm x 6.5 cm x 6 cm )
Gift of Mark and Iuliana Phillips

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Thai
Buddha, seated in the padmasana pose, iin bhumisparsa mudra (Khanom Tom style)
bronze
16 7/16 x 12 15/16 in. (41.6 x 32.8 cm)
Gift of the Honorable Jack Faxon

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