Astone palette (also called atoilet tray) is a round tray commonly found in the areas ofBactria andGandhara, and which usually representGreek mythological scenes. Some of them are attributed to theIndo-Greek period in the 2nd and 1st centuryBCE (a few were retrieved from the Indo-Greek stratum No.5 atSirkap.) Many are considered to be of later production, around the 1st centuryCE during the time of theIndo-Parthians. They practically disappeared after the 1st century. Many have been found at the archaeological site ofSirkap, in today'sPakistan.

Scholars have suggested that these trays were used to mix cosmetic products (cf. ancient Egyptiancosmetic palettes). TheAncient Orient Museum was able to analyse the remains of substances adhering to a number of stone palettes, which turned out to be colored cosmetic powders akin toblush. Afrieze discovered inButkara shows a woman using amirror as she puts her fingers into one of these stone palettes.^[1]

These stone palettes provide an interesting instance ofHellenistic art in the northwestern Indian subcontinent. They are disconnected from theBuddhist narrative to which works are usually associated in theGreco-Buddhist art ofGandhara.

Few of the palettes contain representations of theBuddha.

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  Nereid and a Cherub riding a Sea Monster (Ketos).
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  Apollo and Daphne.
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  Couple with sea serpent.
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  Mythological scene withAthena andHerakles.
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  Poseidon with attendants.Ancient Orient Museum.
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  Aphrodite at her bath.
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  Man with cup in hand, riding aKetos sea-monster.
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  Banquet or funerary scene.
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  Banquet or funerary scene.
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  Female triton,Tokyo National Museum
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  Stone palette and other artifacts found in the Indo-Greek level atSirkap (Stratum 5)
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  Friendly animals.
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  Equestrian stone palette, Gandhara.
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  Tray showingNereid riding a mythical sea monster.

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  Indo-Parthian king and attendants.
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  Indian nobleman with female attendants.
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  Possible fire worship with altar.
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  Indo-Greek drinking party.
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  Indo-Parthian revelers.
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  Indo-Parthian couple.
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  Fighting animals.
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  Reveling couple.

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  Drunk Herakles.
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  Indo-Greek festivities.
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  Indo-Parthian man hunting.
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  Man riding a Ketos sea-monster.
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  Sun godSurya, or possibly theBuddha, riding a chariot.
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  Man with cup, riding a Ketos sea-monster.
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  Woman in Greek clothing, riding a Ketos sea-monster.
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  Palette with the GoddessHariti.

Egyptians are known to have made stone palettes in the form of cups ("coupelles") with images of deities during the 2nd century CE, at the time ofRoman Egypt. They variously representIsis,^[2][3]Horus-Sobek,^[4]Sarapis,^[5]Harpocrates orOsiris.

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  Egyptian coupelles with deities (Isis,^[6][7]Horus-Sobek^[8]...), 2nd century CE
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  Egyptian cups with deities (Sarapis,^[9]Isis,^[10]Harpocrates,Horus,^[11]Osiris...), 2nd century CE

• Cosmetic palette

• Many examples of stone palettes
• The Eclectic Museum

• Francfort, Henri-Paul "Les Palettes du Gandhara" 1979 (in French). Paris: Diffusion de Brocard.

• Archaeology of Pakistan
• Archaeological palettes
• Hellenistic art
• Gandhara art

• Articles with short description
• Short description matches Wikidata