Bamiyan Buddhas

Bamiyan Buddhas

Bamiyan Valley is located in the central part of Afghanistan, less than 200 kilometers north-west of Kabul. In the valley there is a modern city of Bamiyan - the center of the same name province of Afghanistan. 
Valley is the only easy passage through the Hindu Kush, so since ancient times served as trade corridor. 
In the II century there arose Buddhist monasteries. During the reign of Ashoka began construction of the giant statues that ended only after two years. In the V century Chinese traveler wrote about ten monasteries and thousands of monks who inhabited. Extensive cave complexes carved into the rock served as an inn for pilgrims and traders. In the XI century the valley was annexed to the Muslim Ghaznavid state, but then Buddhist shrines were destroyed. In the valley of the city grew Gaugale decorated with beautiful mosques. 
In 1221, the armies of Genghis Khan destroyed the city and devastated the valley. In the Middle Ages, a complex of Buddhist monasteries in the Bamiyan Valley was named Kafirkala - a city of infidels. 


Unique are the two giant Buddha statues that were part of a complex of Buddhist monasteries in the Bamiyan Valley. In 2001, despite the protests of the international community and other Islamic countries, the statues were vandalized by the Taliban, I think that they are pagan idols and must be destroyed. 
The statues were carved in the rocks surrounding the valley, partly supplemented by solid plaster holding a wooden armature. Made of wood upper part of individual sculptures have been lost in antiquity. In addition to the destroyed statues in the monasteries of the valley there is another showing the reclining Buddha, its excavation began in 2004. 


Coordinates: 34.716667, 67.834 ° 43 's. sh. 67 ° 48 'east. e. / 34.716667 ° c. sh. 67.8 ° c. h. 

By the way, these statues are often transferred to the invasion of hostile people to Buddhism. The first time the valley emptied of Genghis Khan, and the second time it was annexed by the Muslim Ghaznavid state, but in the first and in the second case the conquerors left giant sculptures intact. 



According to the description of travelers who have visited the Bamiyan Valley with Ipo Xvv glitter gold ornaments that covered the statue of Big Buddha dazzled eyes, folds of clothing, in contrast to the very figure, carved out of the rock, made of plaster and stone sculpted over the image on top of the molten metal enrichment pokrytykraskoy ( probably bronze). Drape dress was made by a unique technology, so when the wind came the jingle. 1500 years, Buddha statues and rock sanctuary of Bamiyan were the personification of fame, luxury, stability and prosperity in Afghanistan during its heyday and harmony with its neighbors. 



Until the 3rd century, Afghanistan was the ancient Bactria, a province in the composition of the Persian Achaemenid Empire. Bactria later joined the Kushan Empire. Passing through the Silk Road, Afghanistan contributed to the spread of Buddhism from India to the region in the first century AD. 



And in Kushans patronized the arts and religion, which is why there was the introduction of a Bactrian Buddhist style, which until then was influenced by Hellenistic art. 
Islamism was introduced to Bamiyan in the 11th century AD, when the central part of Afghanistan was under the rule of Sultan Mahmud Chazna (998 - 1030). A city Dzhuldzhul (Bamyan) have to adjust the pattern of Khorasan region of Iran. 



As a consequence there were walls, towers, forts, earthworks and the citadel. In the early 13th century, Genghis Khan's army destroyed the city of Bamiyan to the last stone and ransacked Buddhist monasteries. Not only touched the statue of Buddha. In the 17th century Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb ordered his army to shoot off the legs of Big Buddha. 



Valley had already been abandoned. It was only in the mid-19th century, the caves became populated and used as shelters for pets. In 1979, in the town of Bamiyan were about 7000 inhabitants. 



In the 1970 -1980 years of the valley was used by the Soviet military. 
The Chinese traveler, Xuanzang, who visited Bamiyan around 630 AD, described not only the two standing Buddhas, but also the temple in the distance from the Royal Palace, where the reclining Buddha measuring about 1 thousand. Feet. Many experts believe that he was lying on the ground and destroyed long ago. But two archaeologist Zemaryalay Tarzi of Afghanistan and Kazuya Yamauchi of Japan, diligently conduct excavations in the hope of finding its base. Tarzi, who excavated Buddhist monastery may have also found the wall of the royal palace which could lead to a third Buddha. "History of the Bamiyan first begin to dig in the literal sense, and by the restoration work, and by the archaeological site," - said Kasak Maeda, a Japanese historian who has studied Bamiyan over 40 years.