Last Existence: Princely Life

Part of a frieze relief with two separated scenes from the Princely Life. The scenes are separated by a framed semi-column of the Gandharan-Corinthian type. The base is plain, the cornice consists of two plain listels framing a scroll of calices alternating vertical and reverse. A circular nail hole is drilled through the proper left side of the background surface of the right scene. The back face shows vertical marks of chisel. The scene on the right depicts Siddhārtha in school. Prince Siddhārtha is taken to school to be educated as befits his rank. He proves to be well-learned in all the sciences, including writing. He is sitting frontal with the head turning to his left. He holds a stylus in the right hand and an oblong palm-leaf resting over his legs in the left. Siddhārtha has short curly hair, and is wearing an uttarīya, a paridhāna, and a long necklace. On his left a ram is crouching with the head turning back. In the background are three standing figures. On the right, a male and a female figure are facing each other. The female figure is touching her chin with the right hand, and holding a cornucopia in the left. She has curly hair, and wears a sāṛī and a headdress not discernible. The male figure bears an indistinct object in his right hand (a container?). He has short curly hair and is possibly wearing an uttarīya and a long necklace. The third figure on the left is facing Siddhārtha and resembles the previous one. The scene on the left depicts the Archery Competition. Siddhārtha engages in an archery competition in which he is asked to use a bow nobody could bend to shoot an arrow at a distant target, succeeding in front of the audience. Two male figures are preserved. They are both standing back-towards to the left, the weight of their body is placed on the right leg. The two figures are bending a compound bow in their right hand. They are dressed in a paridhāna and wear a short necklace.