| Year | 500 to 700A.D |
|---|---|
| Material | Bronze |
| Dimensions | 2.3 m × 1 m (91 in × 39 in) |
| Location | Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, Birmingham |
The Sultanganj Buddha is the largest complete bronze figure of its kind in the world. The statue is dated by archaeologists at between 500 to 700 AD. It is 2.3m high and 1m wide, weighs over 500kg and was made using the lost wax technique. It was found in the North Indian town of Sultanganj, Bhagalpur district, Bihar[1] in 1860 or 1861 during the construction of the East Indian Railway.[2]
The engineer responsible for its discovery, E.B. Harris, published a detailed account of the excavations in which he describes finding the right foot of the Buddha ten feet under the surface, beneath a floor that seemed to have been built to conceal the statue.[3] It seems to have traveled to England accompanied by George Turnbull, Chief Engineer of the East Indian Railway, and its passage was paid by Samuel Thornton, a Birmingham based manufacturer of railway fittings and former mayor of the town.
In Birmingham, where many mechanical parts of the East Indian Railway had been manufactured, the Buddha was offered to the City in 1864 to become the basis of the museum that would eventually be established to inspire the metalworkers of the town. It remains as one of the most valuable objects in the collection at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery.[4]
Since 1998 the Buddha has been the centerpiece of a gallery dedicated to celebrating the religious and sculptural heritage of South Asia, where around 20% of the population of Birmingham also have their roots. However the appeal of the Buddha is more universal and it has been cited as an example of a 'charismatic object' because of the way that many residents of Birmingham hold it in great affection.[5] In recent years it has become the focus for an annual celebration by West Midlands based Buddhist groups from a range of traditions, and has flowers left at its feet more regularly.
The right hand is raised in abhayamudra (a gesture of reassurance or protection) while the left hand, with palm outward and held downwards, and is said to indicate the granting of a favour. The end of the monastic robe is held between the hollow of the thumb and forefinger of this hand in the manner still practised by Theravadin monks to this day.