The ancient region of northeastern Afghanistan and northwestern Pakistan was situated at a confluence of trading paths along the Silk Route, an area was flooded in cultural influences ranging from Greece to China. After the conquests of Alexander the Great, the creation of Greco-Bactrian kingdoms, and the general Hellenization of the subcontinent, Western aesthetical tastes became prominent. Greek influence began to permeate into the arts and culture. Eventually, the Bactrian Kingdom was absorbed by the nomadic Kushan tribes, who settled in the region and went on to establish their own dynasty. The area flourished under the Kushan and their greatest king, Kanishka, who traditionally given credit for further spreading the philosophies of Buddhism throughout central Asia and into China. This period is viewed as one of the most important era in the history of Buddhism.The main painted frieze decorating the body and shoulders of this vessel depicts a wildlife scene. Two large gazelles with curved horns crowning their heads flee from what appears to be a voracious lion. While the emphasis of the gazelles has been places on their large, rotund bodies, the head of the lion has been greatly exaggerated. Perhaps these compositional differences can be explained by the nature of the animals as prey and predator. The neck of the vessel has been adorned with a series of abstract, floral patterns framed by a red border highlighted with three alternating groups of concentric circles or swastikas. The swastika is an ancient Buddist symbol that may reflect the interaction between Greco-Bactrian artists and their neighbors. Furthermore, the gazelle is a traditional Central Asian motif utilized in the art of many Mesopotamian kingdoms as well as nomadic tribes such as the Scythians. - (X.0205)

Antiquities
Ancient Near East