Stone palette

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Indo-Greek stone palette representing an Hellenistic Nereid goddess riding a Ketos sea-monster, 2nd century BCE, Sirkap.

Stone palettes, also called Toilet trays, are round trays commonly found in the areas of Bactria and Gandhara, which usually represent Greek mythological scenes. Some of them are attributed to the Indo-Greek period in the 2nd and 1st century BCE (a few were retrieved from the Indo-Greek stratum No.5 at Sirkap), and many are considered to be of later production, around the 1st century CE during the time of the Indo-Parthians. They practically disappear after the 1st century. Many have been found at the archaeological site of Sirkap, in today's Pakistan.

1 Function
2 Crescent-shaped recipients:
3 T-shape recipients:
4 Other shapes:
5 Notes
6 References

[edit] Function

It is thought, with some uncertainty, that these trays were used to mix cosmetic products (cf. ancient Egyptian cosmetic palettes). The Ancient 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 to blush. A frieze discovered in Butkara also shows a woman using a mirror as she puts her fingers into one of these stone palettes.^[1]

These stone palettes provide an interesting instance of Hellenistic art in the northwestern Indian subcontinent, disconnected from the Buddhist narrative to which it is usually associated in the Greco-Buddhist art of Gandhara.

Only very few of these palettes are known which contain representations of the Buddha.

[edit] Crescent-shaped recipients:

Apollo and Daphne.	Couple with sea serpent.	Mythological scene.	Poseidon with attendants. Ancient Orient Museum.
Aphrodite at her bath.	Man with cup in hand, riding a Ketos sea-monster.	Banquet or funerary scene.	Banquet or funerary scene.
Female triton, Tokyo National Museum	Stone palette and other artifacts found in the Indo-Greek level at Sirkap (Stratum 5)	Friendly animals.

[edit] T-shape recipients:

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

[edit] Other shapes:

Drunk Herakles.	Indo-Greek festivities.	Indo-Parthian man hunting.	Man riding a Ketos sea-monster.
Sun god Surya, or possibly the Buddha, riding a chariot.	Man with cup, riding a Ketos sea-monster.	Woman in Greek clothing, riding a Ketos sea-monster.