Buddhist Archaeological Sites in the Kabul Region (Greater Gandhara)

Abstract

The Kabul region holds a rich historical and geographical significance that has played a vital role in shaping the cultural and historical landscape of South Asia. The current Kabul province is surrounded by Parwan, Kapisa and Logar along with Laghman, Nangarhar, Maidan Wardak provinces, where once it was the main center of Buddhism in the region for more than 1000 years. The region was part of the greater Gandhara, a country with rich, lush valleys, towering mountains, and a delightful climate situated on the borderland between India and western Asia. The high-quality physical resources available in the region suggest a prolonged history of Buddhist practices. The origins of Buddhism can be traced back to the mid-third century BCE, when the emperor Ashoka dispatching missions to propagate his newly embraced faith in the region. 

The Kabul region is one of the most explored parts of the country which showcased the rich collection of Buddhist Heritage, although due to war and conflict the outcome was not published frequently. These rich Heritage sites reflect the strategic role of the areas located along the Ancient Silk Road which connects India, China, Central Asia and Iran. After enhancement of the official archaeological exploration in 1922 in the country, the area has been studied by national and international archaeologists particularly more focused have been driven after the establishment of Archaeological Institute in 1966. However, the areas rich Buddhist Heritage was explored unofficially or illegally in the past centuries. In the current presentation I will introduce the Buddhist archaeological sites namely Shewaki, Goldara, Tape Naranj, Tape Maranjan, Qole Tout, Mes Aynak, Tope Dara, Khumzargar etc. located in the region which have been explored recently by Afghan Archaeologists.