1st century Gandhara. British Museum. Personal photograph 2005.

Other information: Found/Acquired from Taxila, Stupa 32 (Asia, Pakistan, North West Frontier Province, Hazara (district), Taxila). Bird, probably a goose, carved in rock crystal. 1st century Buddhist reliquary. British Museum, Collection : « Bird, probably a goose, carved in rock crystal ». « The bird was found inside BM 1867.0427.1 and contained an inscription (lost). The globular hollow body is open at the top with a rim of rounded section except at the back where it may have been partly flattened in antiquity, perhaps for a lid; a thin hole in the centre of the junction of the tail with the body may have served to attach it. The head is joined to the body by a short neck, and the head has protruding eyes and a broad bill. At the sides projections of oval outline with a cross-hatched band forward and with horizontal grooves to the back (that is, coverts and flight feathers) represent wings, and the tail has regular straight grooves at right angles to the body. The underside is clumsily pierced with two small holes at each side, with local damage to the surface, perhaps to attach legs. » « The goose once contained a gold strip bearing an inscription, now lost (see Bibliographic field for details). The object itself is not inscribed. The text states that a relic of the Buddha was placed in the goose reliquary for the benefit of Sira's parents in a future existence. »: The British Museum. No mention of "Hamsa". Source: Reliquary, The British Museum

But in that text : pp. 85-86 : Kharoshthi Inscriptions With The Exception Of Those Of Asoka : « (Gift) of Sira, depositing a gift of the Lord in the haṃsa of her mother, the haṃsa of her father. Might it become its place when a corporeal birth comes. »

See also : [1]

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