A History of Early Buddhist Sculpture
A short guide to the origins and meaning of Buddhist sculpture
In a sense, the history of Buddhist sculpture began at the moment of the Buddha’s death in around 400 BCE. As was customary in India, the body of the Buddha was cremated. As an auspicious relic, the Buddha’s ashes were subsequently shared between eight locations across India and interred (entombed) in holy burial sites known as stupas.
The stupas built to contain the relics consisted of large hemispherical earthworks, echoing the prehistoric form of burial mounds known as tumulus or barrows — a form of burial site seen worldwide.
One of the earliest Buddhist stupas was at Piprahwa, a village in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, and only a short distance from Buddha’s birthplace. The stupa at Piprahwa was originally formed from piled-up earth from the surrounding area, with the relics buried inside. In subsequent centuries the stupa was built up and enlarged into the structure apparent today.
