Taxila: Shrine of the Double-headed Eagle, 1st Century B.C.

Both sacred mound and reliquary shrine concepts are incorporated in the Shrine of the Double-headed Eagle at Taxila where there has been a decided blending of native Indian and Graeco-Roman styles, In contrast to the carefully planned and highly elaborate stone masonry and sculptural decorations at the Great Stupa at Sanchi the Taxila shrine is a simple mound of earth reached by stairs and a terrace, No protective railing is provided, and the only sculptural decorations are to be found in the miniature architraves along the base of the terrace with the little mock shrines carved in relief there, Along these architraves are allusions to more elaborate stupas, their elegant gates (last arch on right), and a curious western variety of post, lintel and tympanum combination (third from right), One suspects that this shrine was built for local veneration of ancestors, for no scenes reflecting Buddhist iconography appear, The name of the shrine 'Double Eagle' seems to relate to the representation of such a mythical beast in the second architrave from the right: the bird sits atop a canopy-like structure