Photo 1003(1106)

This is one of a series of photographs taken for H. H. Cole at Mardan by Serrot, and not, as stated in T. Bloch, 'A list of the photographic negatives of Indian antiquities in the collection of the Indian Museum: with which is incorporated the list of similar negatives in the possession of the the India Office' (Calcutta, 1900), by Cole himself. Reproduced in photogravure in 'Illustrations of Graeco-Buddhist sculptures from the Yusufzai District', in vol. I of H. H. Cole, 'Preservation of monuments in India' (c. 1885), pl. 24: 'This is the upper part of what must have been a large statue, and measures about 2 feet 9 inches in height. The mode of dressing the hair is very elaborate. A band of jewels is worn across the forehead; massive earrings drag down the lobe of the ear; a chain with dragon clasps is worn round the neck as well as a torque; a chain of stones, or beads, is worn over the right shoulder, and a string of amulets is worn across the body under the rigth arm, which has an armlet with a human head represented on it. Such rich ornaments show this to be a royal person, probably Prince Siddhartha before his asceticism.' Bloch gives the location as Nuttu, Cole gives Mian Khan, both in the above work and in his 'Memorandum on ancient monuments in Eusofzai, with a description of the explorations undertaken from the 4th February to the 16th April 1883, and suggestions for the disposal of the sculptures' (Simla, 1883), p. 32. The piece is now in the Indian Museum, Calcutta.