THE DREAM OF MAYADEVI Grey schist Gandhara 4th... Lot 51

THE DREAM OF MAYADEVI Grey schist Gandhara 4th century Dimensions: Height 16,5 cm Wide 14 cm Depth 3 cm with base Weight: 1679 grams This fragment shows a story of the life of Buddha. We see a woman in her sleep, lying on a bed and three attendants standing or sitting next to her. The sleeping woman is Maya Devi, the Queen of Shakya and Buddha's mother. According to legend she had a dream of an elephant entering her womb before conceiving Gautama Buddha. A small elephant can be seen floating above her waist. At the top of the fragment is a railing with an arch and celestial beings are watching over her.