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== Old Apsidal Temple == | == Old Apsidal Temple == | ||
In December 2021, archaeologists from Ca’ Foscari University and the Italian Archaeological Mission, in collaboration with the provincial department of archaeology and museums in Pakistan and led by Dr. Luca Maria Olivieri, announced the discovery of the earliest Buddhist apsidal temple at Barikot, known in antiquity as Bazira. This temple is believed to have been constructed during the reign of Ashoka in the Mauryan period, around 250 BCE. Evidence suggests that the structure remained in use during the reign of Menander I, the Indo-Greek king, in the mid-second century BCE. Although it underwent enhancements in subsequent periods, the temple ultimately ceased to function around the third or fourth century CE, coinciding with the abandonment of the city by the Kushan rulers due to an earthquake. | |||
This discovery marks the earliest known apsidal temple in the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent (modern-day Pakistan) to date, representing a significant finding that indicates the presence of Buddhism in Swat since the 3rd century BCE. It also confirms that Menander I, referred to as Milinda by early Buddhists, actively supported this religious tradition. | |||
Dr. Michele Minardi, a member of the Italian mission, remarked, “We have found coins, including a silver specimen issued by King Menander, an onyx seal adorned with a Hellenistic intaglio depicting a youth in Greek attire alongside a Kharosthi inscription, a monumental Kharosthi epigraph, and numerous other Kharosthi inscriptions on pots and potsherds belonging to the Indo-Greek cultural horizon, such as fish plates and polished black pottery that imitates Attic models.” | |||
A 2024 publication by Luca Maria Olivieri posits that the apsidal temple is associated with an Indian-style Buddhist stupa, dating back to the era of the prominent Buddhist advocate, the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka (r. 268-232 BCE). Olivieri notes that this monument was modified from an earlier, non-Buddhist shrine that existed during the time when Alexander the Great besieged Barikot in 327 BCE. This suggests a continuity and transformation of religious practices at the site, reflecting the shifts in cultural and spiritual influences in the region over time. | |||
== Indo-Greek Phase (c. 200–100 BCE) == | |||
== References == | == References == | ||
{{Reflist}} | {{Reflist}} | ||