The intersection of cultures is perhaps the most fascinating aspect of historical analysis and archaeology. When two cultures meet, for political or economic reasons, the resulting creativity in producing artefacts, religions and hybrid forms of cultural understanding underpins our critical analysis of ancient cultures. This is the case for the region of Gandhara, located in what is now modern Afghanistan and parts of northern Pakistan. This region has always held an important position; not only is it a crucial intersection of the Silk Roads, it is also the gateway between the Indian Subcontinent and the Middle East. Thus, civilisations across the ages have always competed for control of this region. In the Fourth Century BC, Alexander the Great’s conquest of the East resulted in this region being subjugated under the Greeks. It is in this period that Greek colonies were established, bringing with them technology, culture and forms which Gandharans adopted into their own cultures. This melding of Greek and local imagery, iconography and religion resulted in some of the most unique sculptural movements of the time. Even after Alexander’s demise, after being incorporated into the Mauryan Empire coming from India, the Gandharan school of art kept producing stunning artworks which reflect its diverse population and cultural hybridity. The golden age of Graeco-Buddhist art in Gandhara came during the Second Century AD, when under the Kushan Empire, and specifically under Kanishka the Great, Buddhism flourished across the empire and beyond. Kanishka was a devout Buddhist, and his government of the Empire saw the sponsorship and patronage of Buddhist monks, missionaries and festivals, as well as the erection of the 120 metre tall Kanishka Stupa in Peshawar, which was one of the tallest structures of the ancient world.

Gandharan art fused Greek and Buddhist aesthetics in essentially every medium. Paintings, sculptures, carvings and even coins are found bearing traditional Buddhist themes and imagery, along with Western forms, canons and styles. A Buddha might have been depicted sporting a Greek toga, or Greek sandals. Bodhisattva, which are individuals who have committed themselves to becoming a Buddha, but have not fully achieved this yet, were represented sporting Greek hairstyles and beards, facial features very reminiscent of Classical Greek sculptures of gods and heroes. Gandharans even adopted Greek cultural heroes as Bodhisattvas, as is the case with Herakles. This stunning piece reveals that Bodhisattvas were celebrated in the same fashion as the Buddha. Sculptural representations in Gandharan art in the later periods become reserved for the highest of spiritual beings, namely Buddha, Bodhisattvas and Maitreya, which is the future Buddha which will come once this current Buddha has been forgotten. This head was once part of a larger sculpture, the whole of which likely would have been inserted in a niche on the exterior of a stupa or shrine. Gandharan sculpture seldom uses stone, as the geological composition in the region provides no types fit for freestanding sculpture. Instead, stucco or terracotta are often used, which while they can be aptly moulded, have difficulties in standing upright. This is why they would have been resting on pillars incorporated in their backs, and we can see our head has been carved or gouged away from this support.

The style used for this head is markedly more Indo-Buddhist, which reveals its later dating. The single eyebrow, slanting downward to a point, is reminiscent of earlier Mauryan Empire styles, and later representations in Northern Indian cultures. The mouth also belongs to this artistic current, along with the shape of the eyes and eyelids. The hairstyle for the Bodhisattva is a unique feature, extremely uncommon in Gandharan art. Small stucco orbs are fixed upon the head, creating the illusion of curls, similar to the typical hairstyle of the Buddha. The overall hairstyle shape is the typical ushnisha reserved for an enlightened being, with a mound of hair representing wisdom and esoteric knowledge. Later period examples such as this one are often decorated with Indian cultural monikers, such as plaques, turbans and rakodi (round beaded broaches). Earrings allow us to confidently state this is not a Buddha figure, as Shakyamuni has renounced material possessions and is not depicted with jewels. This head presents three rakodi, and a central decorative icon. This icon is a crescent moon, resting on its side, surmounted by a small representation of the Amitabha Buddha. This detail is crucial, as it allows us to identify the Bodhisattva depicted here: Avalokiteśvara. Avalokiteśvara is a being of boundless compassion, and they are represented in over 100 incarnations, which take the form of beings male, female and ambiguous. Traditional belief states that they will not ascend to Buddha status, until they have helped every living being out of suffering and lead them onto a better life. The moon is also an important symbol, connected to Avalokiteśvara through the Moonlight Bodhisattva, Candraprabha, whose mantra in combination with Avalokiteśvara’s Great Compassion mantra grants healing properties.