Berenike Buddha
| Berenike Buddha | |
|---|---|
Photograph of the Berenike Buddha, front and side views. | |
| Material | Anatolian marble |
| Size | 71 centimetres (28 in) |
| Created | c. 2nd century CE, possibly in Alexandria |
| Present location | Egypt |
| Location | |
Location of Berenike, where the Buddha was excavated | |
The Berenike Buddha is a statue of the Buddha, parts of which were discovered in January 2018 and January 2022 in an archaeological excavation in the ancient harbour of Berenike, Egypt, by an American-Polish archaeological mission. The statue was discovered in the forecourt of an early Roman period temple dedicated to the Goddess Isis.
The statue, dated around the second century CE, is the earliest statue of the Buddha to ever be found west of Afghanistan (the Helgö Buddha dates later, to the 6th century). This statue attests to the extent of Indo-Roman relations in the early centuries of the Common Era.