This Gandhara schist fragment, depicting a carved attendant figure, is a poignant relic from the Gandharan region (modern-day Pakistan and Afghanistan), dating from the 2nd to 4th century CE. Carved from grey-blue schist, a material favored for its fine grain and durability, the fragment likely once belonged to a larger narrative relief—perhaps part of a Buddhist temple frieze or architectural niche.
The figure, though fragmentary, retains hallmarks of Greco-Buddhist style: softly modeled features, naturalistic drapery with rhythmic folds, and a quiet, contemplative presence. The attendant likely stood beside a depiction of the Buddha, bodhisattvas, or a sacred event, serving as part of a larger tableau designed to guide devotees through visual storytelling.
Though time has reduced it to a fragment, the piece still conveys the spiritual calm and artistic synthesis of the Gandharan world—a unique fusion of Hellenistic realism and Indian iconography that emerged along ancient trade routes and helped shape early Buddhist art across Asia.
