Early Buddhist Art
Graphic by John C. Huntington
Artist: unknown
Title: Mauryan Temple of the First Sermon at Sarnath
Material: Brick and stone
Site: Sarnath, India
Current Location: Sarnath, India
Period/Date: Mauryan period (ca. 323-185 B.C.E.)
Iconography/Iconology: The pitha (seat) of the First Sermon by
Sakyamuni Buddha. In approximately 250 B.C.E. established a pillar and
built a temple to commemorate the First Sermon by Sakyamuni. While the
temple has been excavated and its plan is known to be an apsidal temple,
it is presently covered at the site and cannot be seen. The position of
the pillar, however, is visible at the site. Fragments of the pillar are
still located at the pillar site. The pillar capital is on view in the Sarnath
Museum.
Stylistic Comments: The apsidal temple is known from several sources
in Indic art, and representations of it are known in stone sculpture. See
next page.
