Archaeological and Historical Profile of the Dharmarajika Tradition-Associated Tooth Relic Deposit: An Epigraphic and Contextual Analysis of the Kushan-Era Enshrinement at Taxila(HIRR-2026-0019)

This institutional research publication presents a comprehensive historical, archaeological, and epigraphic analysis of the tradition-associated tooth relic deposit recovered from the Dharmarajika Stupa in Taxila, Pakistan. Originally founded in the 3rd century BCE by the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka, the stupa was subsequently expanded into a monumental center of relic veneration during the 2nd century CE under the patronage of the Kushan Emperor Kanishka I. Utilizing the Integrated Relic Custodianship Model (IRCM), this study objectively synthesizes the primary excavation records generated by Sir John Marshall between 1913 and 1934 to establish a probabilistic historical assessment of the site's material heritage. Central to this investigation is the contextual correspondence established by the 1st-century CE Kharosthi silver scroll recovered in situ alongside a golden reliquary casket. Dated to approximately 78 CE, the scroll features the inscription "Nao ca urusaka danta", providing a definitive epigraphic identification of the enshrined matrix as a Buddha tooth relic by its original custodians. The study further explores the profound historical dedication to the artifact, evidenced by the 1934 discovery of thirty-four monastic skeletons at the stupa's southern entrance—defenders who suffered violent trauma during the 5th-century White Hun invasion. Operating strictly within the boundaries of non-destructive scholarship, the research transparently logs physical vulnerabilities as open informational deficits, specifically detailing the structural damage inflicted upon the tradition-associated specimen when the golden casket burst open due to excavator negligence during the 1913 extraction. Finally, the abstract highlights the artifact's enduring role in contemporary global heritage diplomacy, culminating in the historic 2016 diplomatic exposition where the Dharmarajika specimen was transported to Sri Lanka and venerated by 9.3 million devotees. Through this synthesis, the publication bridges the canonical limitations found in traditional narratives with the empirical reality of widespread, state-sponsored relic distribution in antiquity.