Chakhil-i-Ghoundi Stupa

The Chakhil-i-Ghoundi Stupa, also code-named "Stupa C1", is a small limestone stupa from the Chakhil-i-Ghoundi monastery, at the archeological site of Hadda in eastern Afghanistan. Most of the remains of the stupa were gathered in 1928 by the archeological mission of Frenchman Jules Barthoux of the DAFA (), and have been preserved and reconstituted through a collaboration with the Tokyo National Museum. They are today on display at the Musée Guimet in Paris. It is usually dated to the 2nd-3rd century CE.

The decoration of the stupa provides an interesting case of Greco-Buddhist art, combining Hellenistic and Indian artistic elements. The reconstitution consists of several parts, the decorated stupa base, the canopy, and various decorative elements.

The stupa was surmounted by an elaborate canopy, a beautiful example of Indo-Corinthian capital, although typically expanded longitudinally compared to their Western counterparts.

The central space of the capital must have accommodated a small satuette of a seated Buddha, as usually for these architectural elements in northwestern India.

Details reveal elaborate carving, and the presence of naked amorini and vines in the acanthus foliage.

The stupa base is an elaborate construction, consisting of three tiers organised in a stair, and two sides. It has a breath of roughly 3 meters, for a height of about 1 meter. The base combines very contrasted scenes and sculptural motifs: Hellenistic scenes at the bottom tier, and Indian Buddhist scenes at the top two tiers.

The first tier displays several purely Hellenistic scenes, of which the one on the far right is by far the best preserved.

...
Wikipedia