Kurkihar was one of the most important regions of bronze production during the Pala Dynasty, from the 8th to the 12th century CE. The Kurkihar bronze before you is a depiction of Buddha, and was crafted out of alloy of eight metals, or ashtadhattu. The sculpture is stylistically different from the more common stone sculptures found in the region of Bihar. The features of the Buddha here retain the overall character of depictions of Buddha from the Gupta empire in terms of the curved outlines of the lips and eyes; yet, the exquisitely designed and detailed drapery adds a distinctive element of grace to the sculpture. The Buddha is crafted in a more slender and elongated form as compared to previous depictions.
Almost 200 such bronzes were excavated at Kurkihar in 1930, and these were placed within the splendid collection of the Patna Museum. However, the Buddhist monastic site of Kurkihar was noticed first by Markham Kittoe, an official engaged in antiquarian research under the Bengal Government at the time, who in 1848, collected 10 cartloads of Buddhist artefacts. The majority of this collection is currently housed at the prestigious Indian Museum in Kolkata.
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