Dish with Marine Creature and Couple

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This dish from the ancient region of Gandhara dates from the second century B.C. to the first century A.D. International trade with the Hellenistic world and India as well as invasions into Gandhara by the Scythians, Parthians, and Kushans brought many new stylistic idioms that shaped the stylistic vocabulary of these objects. Similar dishes were found in the Gandharan city of Sirkap (Taxila) in contexts that suggest they were used for domestic rituals, perhaps to ensure a positive afterlife.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.

Metropolitan Museum of Art