God Triton

This schist relief from the 1st-3rd century CE shows Triton, the Greek sea-god, carved in the Gandhara region of ancient Pakistan. A Greek deity appearing in Buddhist temple art sounds strange, but it captures exactly what made Gandharan art unique: the region sat at the crossroads of the Silk Road, and Alexander the Great's conquests had left a lasting Hellenistic influence. Greek mythological creatures were among the most popular decorative elements in Gandharan Buddhist temples.

Tritons, ichthyo-centaurs, and sea monsters often appeared in triangular friezes on temple staircases or altars. They were believed to safely carry souls across the waters to paradise. In Greek mythology, Triton is the son of Poseidon and Amphitrite, a merman who calms or raises waves with his conch shell trumpet. These Greco-Buddhist motifs later influenced Indian art, including the depiction of the water monster makara. The piece is at the Art Institute of Chicago.