Dado Panel. Dimensions: H. 40 3/4 in. (103.5 cm)W. 33 3/8 in. (84.8 cm)Frame D. with tabs 2 9/16 in. (6.5 cm) Wt. 163 lbs (73.9 kg). Date: 10th century.The original placement of this unique carved stucco panel is uncertain, although its shape and size suggests that it adorned a dado, or the lower half of a wall. It was found in fragmentary form on the floor of a courtyard excavated in the mound known as Sabz Pushan (the Green Covered) at Nishapur, having crumbled from a nearby wall centuries before. In addition to its richly carved decoration of a three-lobed niche, this panel once had bright colors. Traces of yellow pigment were found on the un-carved band that frames the main scene. Other carved and painted ornamental panels were found in the rooms surrounding the courtyard where this piece was found, speaking to the building's rich architectural ornament. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.