The Buddha 's Skull Relic

These were excavated at Piprahwa in District Basti of Uttar Pradesh, North-West of India near Nepal border, in 1972 by the Archaeological Survey of India. The site has been identified with Kapilvastu, the home town of the Buddha Sakyamuni.It is the same site (For details click here) where the Buddha relic was first excavated by Mr. Pepe, an English engineer in AD 1897, more than 100 years ago .

The second discovery in 1972 found about 20 pieces of bones, appeared to be parts of the skull. The largest piece is about 3 X 5 centimeters.The relic used to be displayed in a plain plastic case

at the National Museum of India, New Delhi.(For details about the museum, click here)

Until 1997 when the government of Thailand donated the golden pavillion for the relic to be enshrined and displayed.

Please note the urns at the bottom of the photo,near a sign.They are the urns which the Relic was originally found.,
Photo of the relic from the front side of the pavilion
From the back
From the right
From the left.
More researches about the Buddha's relic, please click at the following sites
 The Buddha's relic in Ayutthaya, Thailand.

The Buddha's relic in Bangkok,Thailand.

Asoka and the Buddha-Relics,By T.W. Rhys Davids.Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society1901, pp. 397-410.

The Book of the Great Decease (Maha-parinibbana-Sutta ).

THE TRADITION ABOUT THE CORPOREAL RELICS OF BUDDHA,BY J. F. FLEET, I.C.S. (RETD.)Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland for 1907,p. 341-363).