| Loriyan Tangai | |
|---|---|
 A Loriyan Tangai Stupa (reenactment). | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Buddhism |
| Region | Gandhara |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Stupa ruins |
| Year consecrated | 2nd century CE |
| Status | Artifacts removed |
| Location | |
| Location | Pakistan |
  Shown within Pakistan Show map of Pakistan Loriyan Tangai (Gandhara) Show map of Gandhara | |
| Geographic coordinates | 34°32′04″N71°52′16″E / 34.5344°N 71.8711°E /34.5344; 71.8711 |
Loriyan Tangai is an archaeological site in theGandhara area ofPakistan, consisting of many stupas and religious buildings where many Buddhist statues were discovered.
The stupas were excavated by Alexander Caddy in 1896, and the many statues of the site sent to theIndian Museum ofCalcutta.[1]
One of the statues of the Buddha from Loriyan Tangai has an inscription mentioning "the year 318". The era in question is not specified, but it is now thought, following the discovery of theBajaur reliquary inscription, that it is about theYavana era beginning in 174 BCE, and gives a date for the Buddha statue of about 143 CE.[2]
The inscription at the base of the statue is:
| Inscription | Original (Kharosthi script) | Transliteration | English translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Line 1 | 𐨯 𐩀 𐩀 𐩀 𐩆 𐩄 𐩃 𐩃 𐨤𐨿𐨪𐨆𐨛𐨬𐨡𐨯 𐨡𐨁 𐩅 𐩃 𐩀 𐩀 𐩀 𐨦𐨂𐨢𐨓𐨮𐨯 𐨡𐨞𐨨𐨂𐨑𐨅 | Sa 1 1 1 100 10 4 4 Proṭhavadasa di 20 4 1 1 1 Budhaghoṣasa daṇamukhe | In year 318, the day 27 of Prausthapada, gift of Buddhaghosa, |
| Line 2 | 𐨯𐨓𐨆𐨪𐨂𐨨𐨯 𐨯𐨡𐨬𐨁𐨩𐨪𐨁𐨯 | Saghorumasa sadaviyarisa | the companion of Saṃghavarma |
This would make it one of the earliest known representations of the Buddha, after theBimaran casket (1st century CE), and at about the same time as the Buddhist coins ofKanishka.[2]
The two devotees on the right side of the pedestal are inIndo-Scythian suit (loose trousers, tunic, and hood).[4][5] Their characteristic trousers appear clearly onclose-up pictures. The statue is now inIndian Museum ofCalcutta.[2]
Another statue of Buddha, the Buddha of Hashtnagar, is inscribed from the year 384, which is thought to be 209 CE. Only the pedestal is preserved in theBritish Museum, the statue itself, with folds of clothing having more relief than those of the Loriyan Tangai Buddha, having disappeared.[2]
![A Loriyan Tangai Buddha from the same period as the Buddha dated "Year 318".[2]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aLoriya_Tangai_standing_Buddha.jpg)
.jpg)
