fragment

"Fragment of neck of big vessel with appliqué moulded relief representing Gandharva." Montell 1936.

"Gandharvas.
One fairly frequently recurring type of comparatively large and vigourously executed reliefs is usually identified av representations of Gandharva, cf Pl V, 3 and Fig. 8 a-b. They represent female beings seated on lotus thrones and holding heavy garlands, their arms raised. Only the upper portion of the body of the figure is visible. Variations of this theme are but slight, relating only to the pose of the hands, the execution of the neck ornament, the shape of the garland, etc. As to their position on the vessel and what purpose they served we can see quite well from a couple of fairly large ornaments illustrated by Hoernle and Stein, respectively. These reliefs formed part of the decoration belonging to clay vessels of considerable size and provided with three handles. As is evident from the fragments in Sven Hedin´s collections as well as from Stein´s finds, the material in these vessels must have been of unusual thickness. The figures rise in strong relief from the neck, which is decorated in the usual manner with impressed circles and lines. In addition these are the small and thin reliefs representing musicians etc.,.." Montell 1936, p. 164-65./Is