Manikiala Stupa 15: Reliquary Stupa

PAKISTAN, Punjab, Rawalpindi

This reliquary stupa was made in Gandhara in the 1st century during the Kushan period (circa 1st–3rd century). It was discovered in Manikiala Stupa 15 near Rawalpindi.
The stupa is made of steatite and consists of a base, body, and spire, which were created separately. It is 21.9 cm high with a diameter at the base of 11.8 cm. The round base is quite high and is decorated with a series of plain moldings. The body consists of a cylinder followed by a dome. There are plain moldings at the bottom and top of the cylinder. The dome is surmounted by a square harmika in the form of an inverted stepped truncated pyramid. Each face of the harmika has an image of a lotus. The spire consists of three stacked rings and a finial. The crystal pear-shape reliquary bottle with a stopper in the shape of a lotus bud was placed in the center of the hollow base.