ISLAMABAD, March 18: A Buddha sculpture in red sandstone found in Taxila is fascinating the archaeologists excavating in the area.

“This is not any treasure. It’s the discovery of the century — a rare 2nd Century AD sculpture of Lord Buddha made of red sandstone,” said Dr Muhammad Ashraf Khan, Director Exploration and Excavation, Department of Archaeology and Museums, showing the few inches high sculpture to journalists on Tuesday.

His excitement and the twinkle in his eyes showed how proud he felt at the find which depicts Buddha seated cross legged on a throne supported by two lions sitting back to back.

Dr Ashraf Khan found the statue during excavations at the site of a Buddhist monastery that existed between 2nd and 5th century AD, 10kms north of Taxila museum.

Measuring 13x12cm, both soles of the Buddha in the sculpture have Dharmachakra (wheel of law). His right hand is raised in Abhyamudra or re-assurance gesture with Dharmara Mudra on the palm and the Peepal tree behind him.

The back of the sculpture is a full grown papillae tree, indicating the enlightenment of Lord Buddha. There are two lions engraved on the pedestal and two figures on both sides of Lord Buddha.

Dr Khan believes the round and smiling faced, open eyed Buddha he has found, with long ears and hair arranged like a spiral shell, depicts Ushiash Buddha dressed in Ekanshika Sanghati (monastic drapery) and is a Mathura style sculpture of Buddha and not Gandhara art.

“It was brought by monks travelling from religious centre Mathura in Central India, as a gift for the monastery here at Badalpur. It’s unique in Gandhara region that stretches from Jalalabad in Afghanistan to Taxila,” he said.

The Buddha’s right shoulder is bare and drapery cress his left shoulder and arm. To his left is female worshipper with clasped hands wearing long necklace. The throne’s front is decorated with two lions.

The unique red sandstone Mathura style sculpture of Buddha (representing First sermon) is the second such archaeological treasure discovered. The first red sandstone Buddha was discovered way back in 1945 from surface of the Bhari Dheri site, now on display in the Taxila Museum.

Though Dr Khan’s pride-find is only a few inches tall, the Badalpur site he is excavating, is vast. “It’s the 28th and one of the biggest Buddhist monasteries found so far,” Dr Khan said whose team of archaeologists have been painstaking unearthing the site for the last three years.

Some 27 monasteries together with stuppas have been unearthed in Taxila including the recently excavated stuppa and its 19-room monastery at Jinnan Wali Dheri.

The Buddhist monastery of Badalpur is situated near Bhera North village on the left bank of river Haro, west of Julian village. The area of the monastic complex measures 81X78 meters. The stuppa complex proper measures 71X80 meters.

The monastery consists of 40, eight by eight, 12 feet high rooms. Each cell has two niches in its mud-limestone plastered walls. The pottery found buried in it is etched with Kharoshti inscription and a piece with Swastika (symbol of wisdom) carved on it has been discovered. As many as 192 coins, 128 seals/stamps besides other cult objects have been wrested from clinging soil.

“The monastery was destroyed by the White Huns from the Russian Turkmenistan who also killed the monks. Evidence suggests it was burnt down and the monks were killed after which Buddhism started declining in the plains. The surviving monks escaped into the remote mountains in Swat valley,” the archaeologist said.

Excavation is slow process, Dr Khan said scrutinising two orange carnelian beads. A site could take as long as five to 10 years to expose completely.

Dr Khan’s Badalpur wonder will take another two years of back breaking work before the ancient is brought back to life. His patience and persistence can lead to spectacular findings, he expects.

According to Dr Khan, more than 100 stuppas and monasteries are yet to be discovered in Taxila known for its rich cultural and historical base. The entire valley was declared a world heritage site by Unesco in 1980.

Responding a question, Dr Ashraf said that this precious sculpture is caved-in “Mathura” style of Buddhist visual art that flourished in the trading and pilgrimage centre of Mathura from the 2nd century to the 12th century AD; its most distinctive contributions were made during the Kushan and Gupta periods (1st- 6th century AD).

The Mathura school was contemporaneous with a second important school of Kushan art, that of Gandhara in Pakistan, which shows strong Greco-Roman influence.

The Mathura images are related to the earlier yaka (male nature deity) figures. In the more representative seated Buddhas, the shoulders are broad, the chest swells, and the legs are firmly planted with feet spaced apart.

He said that keeping in view the importance of the unique sculpture Dr Fazal Dad Kakar, the director-general of Archaeology and Museums has directed that the sculpture must be displayed in Taxila Museum as soon as possible after necessary treatment and conservation. Its display will help those scholars and students who are working on the comparative study of Gandhara and Mathura art.

Responding to a question, he said that renowned British archaeologist Sir John Marshall, who for the first time conducted excavations at Taxila valley in 1916-17, in his early report had mentioned this site as non-potential site for lack of antiquities. But the Department of Archaeology and Museums discovered rare antiquities including gold coin, two copper coins of Kushan dynasty, two ring stones and three copper bells from the site.

He said that these new discoveries would open new chapters of archeological history of Taxila valley civilization for the researchers and students of Buddhism.