Buddha with ascetics

Fragment of a frienze relief, probably part of a false-niche, showing remnants of two scenes separated by a band decorated with a scroll with vine leaves in the spirals and tendrils. Some large chisel marks run diagonally on the back side. The scene on the right shows the left leg of a buddha seated in padmasanā on a seat with cushion. Besides him, on his right, there is an ascetic kneeling with the right hand partially clenched and with bent thumb close to the mouth, in a gesture of adoration (mukula-hāsta). He wears a tunic of exomis type and has long straight hair falling on the back. On the other side of the decorative band leans another figure of ascetics. He wears a tunic of exomis type and holds a water flask in his left. The right hand was probably on the hip, the left leg is bent.