Pedestal

Small circular pedestal or stand for an icon or figure, most probably a Buddha. Starting from the base of the pedestal, there is a band of pearling or beading, a row of everted lotus petals, four dwarf-like creatures alternating with four square columns, a lotus leaf, another row of lotus petals, their stamens and anthers, and finally a row of alternating large and small elements retaining traces of a red stain and probably representing stylized lotus petals. The pedestal is in the form of a well-known type, the double lotus pedestal (<em>visvapadma</em>), which was particularly popular in the second half of the sixth century, being found in most of the Chinese cave sites of that period. This pedestal however, represents a later continuation of the type.