The Buddha sculptures in the Bamiyan Valley of Central Afghanistan were created in the 6th-7th century and were rock – cut. The sculptures were considered the largest in the world and their existence conveys the importance of the Buddhist faith and the valley during this period. Bamiyan is a green valley bounded by cliffs. To the north and south stand tall, snow covered mountains with flat cultivated bottomlands which is divided by a river. Buddhist monks were drawn to this spot, possibly due to its sense of apartness, to build a large center which is supervised by large statues of the Buddha staring out from the cliffs. Besides the monastic center, a major trade route also passed through Bamiyan which linked India and Central Asia bringing wealth and turmoil to both. The Buddha statues, though, were eventually destroyed by Aurangzeb’s soldiers in the 18th century and were blown up by the Taliban zealots in 2001.
Buddhism was important to the rise of Bamiyan due to its religious practices that spoke to large amounts of people and appealed to a style of illustrative art. The deified Buddha sculptures was then created by the sculptors of Gandhara who had found ways to give a physical form to the Buddha. Every museum of Asian art displays examples of Ganhara sculpture.
The valley of Bamiyan made a natural route for migration and trade. Many monks settled in this area where they created their center and Buddha statues.
But in 1221 CE Ghengis Khan sent a small army and his favorite grandson to seize the valley. When his grandson was killed, Khan wanted revenge. Not even the watchtowers and massive fortresses of Bamiyan were able to survive the attacks. But the Buddhas, which stood over 100 feet tall and were brightly painted, are still stood many years later.
The two monumental Buddha sculptures were carved into a cliff facing the Bamiyan Valley using high relief. The feet were carved in round, allowing people to worship by circumambulation, the act of walking around an object.
The Buddha images show that the people of the Bamiyan Valley were influenced by the art and cultures of India.The Buddhas were covered in pigments so that they would appear to be made of metal and other materials. Some scholars believe that the facers were constructed of masks made of wood and brass, though no other features were made of copper or other materials.
It is such a shame for something so grand and spectacular to be destroyed and involved in such a brutal history. The Buddha statues not only show the value of Buddhism during that period, but also the strength and prosperity of the Bamiyan Valley. Just like the destruction of artifacts in the Mosul museum by ISIS soldiers, the loss of the Buddha statues damages the historical aspects of the works.Though reconstruction is not always a possibility, archaeological research has brought about new tools in attempts to preserve the past. Technology can now project 3D images onto an empty cliff to show where the Buddha statues once were.
Sadly, I do not think there is much that can be done to protect historic sites in the midst of war, I do believe that there should be more of a military presence to provide protection as well as stricter punishments enforced for those who tamper with these sites. Local service organizations could also create groups that work to help fund the preservation of such sites.
Buddhism was important to the rise of Bamiyan due to its religious practices that spoke to large amounts of people and appealed to a style of illustrative art. The deified Buddha sculptures was then created by the sculptors of Gandhara who had found ways to give a physical form to the Buddha. Every museum of Asian art displays examples of Ganhara sculpture.
The valley of Bamiyan made a natural route for migration and trade. Many monks settled in this area where they created their center and Buddha statues.
But in 1221 CE Ghengis Khan sent a small army and his favorite grandson to seize the valley. When his grandson was killed, Khan wanted revenge. Not even the watchtowers and massive fortresses of Bamiyan were able to survive the attacks. But the Buddhas, which stood over 100 feet tall and were brightly painted, are still stood many years later.
The two monumental Buddha sculptures were carved into a cliff facing the Bamiyan Valley using high relief. The feet were carved in round, allowing people to worship by circumambulation, the act of walking around an object.
The Buddha images show that the people of the Bamiyan Valley were influenced by the art and cultures of India.The Buddhas were covered in pigments so that they would appear to be made of metal and other materials. Some scholars believe that the facers were constructed of masks made of wood and brass, though no other features were made of copper or other materials.
It is such a shame for something so grand and spectacular to be destroyed and involved in such a brutal history. The Buddha statues not only show the value of Buddhism during that period, but also the strength and prosperity of the Bamiyan Valley. Just like the destruction of artifacts in the Mosul museum by ISIS soldiers, the loss of the Buddha statues damages the historical aspects of the works.Though reconstruction is not always a possibility, archaeological research has brought about new tools in attempts to preserve the past. Technology can now project 3D images onto an empty cliff to show where the Buddha statues once were.
Sadly, I do not think there is much that can be done to protect historic sites in the midst of war, I do believe that there should be more of a military presence to provide protection as well as stricter punishments enforced for those who tamper with these sites. Local service organizations could also create groups that work to help fund the preservation of such sites.