Base of a Sculpture of Surya
North India, Mathura region
Gupta Dynasty (300–699 C.E.), 6th–7th century
Red sandstone
"The sun god Surya was driven daily across the sky in a chariot drawn by seven horses. These are shown here, one in the center facing forward, and three at each side. The driver of the chariot Aruna, the dawn, is shown seated in a niche above the central horse. In this fragmentary sculpture, only the knees of Surya remain."
“Autumn, the year’s last, loveliest smile.” — William Cullen Bryant
Autumn Crocus
Native Range: Turkey, Syria, Lebanon
“Besides its ornamental value, the Autumn Crocus has a long history of use in medicine, rooted in the myths and written records of ancient Egypt, India, and Greece. It is mentioned in the Ebers Papyrus, the oldest known medical text, prepared by the Egyptians around 1550 B.C. Thirty-five centuries later it is still found in modern pharmacopeias, one of only 18 plants documented as having a history of medicinal value for such a long period of time.”
Maverick Mist 