Stone palette

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Indo-Greek stone palette representing an Hellenistic Nereid goddess riding a Ketos sea-monster, 2nd century BCE, Sirkap.

Stone palettes are round cosmetic trays commonly found in the areas of Bactria and Gandhara, which usually represent Greek mythological scenes. Some of them are attributed to the Indo-Greek period in the 2nd and 1st century BCE (a few were retrieved from the Indo-Greek stratum No5 at Sirkap), and many are considered to be later realization around the 1st century CE during the time of the Indo-Parthians. They practically disappear after the 1st century. Many have been found at the archaeological site of Sirkap, in today's Pakistan.

It is thought, with some uncertainty, that these trays were used to mix cosmetic products. The Ancient Orient Museum was able to analyse the remains of cosmetic product inside various stone palette, which turned out to be colored cosmetics powders akin to blush. A frieze discovered in Butkara also shows a woman using a mirror as she put her fingers into one of these stone palettes.^[1]

These stone palettes provide an interesting instance of Hellenistic art in the northwestern India subcontinent which is disconnected from the Buddhist narrative to which it is usually associated in the Greco-Buddhist art of Gandhara.

Only very few of these palettes are known which contain representations of the Buddha.

Man with cup in hand, riding a Ketos sea-monster.	Man riding a Ketos sea-monster.	Banquet or funerary scene.	Sun god Surya, or possibly the Buddha, riding a chariot.
Man with cup, riding a Ketos sea-monster.	Woman in Greek clothing, riding a Ketos sea-monster.	Female triton, Tokyo National Museum	Stone palette and other artifacts found in the Indo-Greek level at Sirkap (Stratum 5)
Gandhara stone palette with king and attendants in Parthian dress. Naprstek Museum, Prague.	Indo-Scythian stone palette, found in Sirkap, New Delhi Museum.	Poseidon with attendants. Ancient Orient Museum.	Aphrodite at her bath.
Indo-Greek festivities.	Indo-Parthian king and attendants.	Ind-Greek drinking party.	Indo-Parthian man hunting.
Indo-Parthian revelers.	Indo-Parthian couple.