Last Existence: First Bath; male and female figures

Fragment of a frieze relief consisting of two superimposed registers. The lower one depicts a scene of the Last Existence of the Buddha, the upper one a row of figures in various attitudes. The registers are separated by a row of stylized thunderbolts between a plain listels. The lower scene was originally encased between a framed semi-columns of the Gandharan-Corinthian type, of which remains only the one on the left. The base is plain, the cornice is carved with a row of upright ogival leaf-and-dart. In between the second and third figure from right in the upper register, a hole for nail is drilled. The back and bottom faces show tool marks. The lower scene depicts the First Bath. Soon after his birth, Prince Siddhārtha walks seven steps and proclaims this was his last rebirth. Then, two streams of water poured by gods wash the body of the newborn. The infant is standing frontal on a stool. On both his sides, a kneeling figure in profile is washing Siddhārtha. They are both possibly dressed in a long dhotī. Indra and Brahma are pouring water from globular pots over the infant. Indra, recognizable by his vajra, stands in frontal position, while Brahmā is turned to the back. The upper register is carved with a continuous frieze depicting – starting from the right – a standing figure possibly holding a palm branch in his right hand while is left hand rests on the hip. A male figure in frontal position stands next to him, the body weight on the left leg and the right hand resting on the out thrust hip. He possibly wears a long tunic and a mantle a long fold of which falls from his left forearm.. Next follows a standing male figure in frontal position holding a spear in his right. He wears a short tunic and a mantle. Next to him, a naked female figure is standing turned backward. The last extant figure is a man with head and upper body tilted to his right. He possibly held an object in his raised right hand.