This original article published in Kaogu 考古 (Archaeology) 2018.11:100–114 with 23 figures and one table was authored by Yusheng Li 李雨生, Jianxi Li 李建西, Jiangtao Niu 牛江涛. This English version, translated by Xuyang Gao 高旭阳, has removed 50 notes and added further readings.
關鍵詞
Qingshan Monastery; brass ewer; Skanda; northwestern part of South Asian subcontinent; Tang dynasty
摘要
A cast brass ewer was unearthed from the Shangfang Śarīra Stupa crypt at Qingshan Monastery. Most likely, it was made in the northwestern part of the South Asian subcontinent in the late seventh century. Integrating ancient Roman, Sassanian, and early Islamic styles, the shape of this ewer not only is a mixture of the elements of different eras and traditions but also reflects unique attributes. The multi-headed and multi-armed deities from Hinduism, especially Skanda, may have inspired the six-faced design on the body. Eventually, the ewer was taken to Chang’an by Indian or Kashmirian monks and buried in the pagoda’s crypt.
