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The Buddhas of Bamiyan (Pashto: د باميانو بودايي پژۍ, Dari: تندیسهای بودا در بامیان) were two possibly 6th-century monumental Buddhist statues in the Bamiyan Valley of Afghanistan.
- Overview
- Buddhism along the Silk Route
- Monumental Buddhas
- Backstory
- GeneratedCaptionsTabForHeroSec
By Dr. Melody Rod-ari
Prior to their recent destruction, the 6th-to-7th-century, rock-cut Buddha sculptures in the Bamiyan Valley of central Afghanistan were considered the largest in the world. Known collectively as the Bamiyan Buddhas, the two monumental sculptures have amazed both Buddhist and non-Buddhist visitors for more than a 1,000 years. Like many of the world’s great ancient monuments, little is known about who commissioned the Bamiyan Buddhas or the sculptors who carved them. However, their very existence points to the importance of the Buddhist faith and the Bamiyan Valley during this period.
Bamiyan is located between the Indian subcontinent (to the southeast) and Central Asia (to the north), which made it an important location close to one of the most important branches of the Silk Route. The Silk Route was an ancient series of linked trade routes that connected China to West Asia and Europe and carried both material wealth and ideas. Bamiyan’s central location along the Silk Route, along with its fertile plains amid harsh terrain, made it an ideal location for merchants and missionaries to stop during their travels. Many of the missionaries and merchants in this area during the middle of the 1st millennium were practitioners of the Buddhist faith. Buddhism had long been an important religion in the region, having been introduced during the early
period.
Prior to their destruction in 2001, two monumental Buddha sculptures could be seen carved into the cliff facing the Bamiyan Valley. The larger of the two figures, located on the western end (on the right in the photo above), measured 175 feet in height. The art historian Susan Huntington has argued that it represented the
. The smaller of the two monumental statues, located to the east, depicted the
. This figure was also enormous and measured 120 feet in height.
Both images were carved into niches of the cliff side in high relief. The area near the heads of both Buddha figures and the area around the larger Buddha’s feet were carved in the round, allowing worshippers to circumambulate. Circumambulation, which is the act of walking around an object such as a
(a reliquary mound) or an image of the Buddha, is a common practice in Buddhist worship.
The two large Buddha images reflected the international environment of the Bamiyan Valley and were influenced by the art and cultures of India, Central Asia, and even ancient Greek culture. For example, both Buddhas wore flowing robes and have been described as having wavy curls of hair. This hairstyle and the flowing drapery are elements rooted in early Gandharan Buddhist imagery that combined
In 2001, Mullah Omar ordered Taliban forces to demolish the Bamiyan Buddhas. As reported in The Guardian, the destruction took several weeks, and the two figures “proved remarkably solid. Anti-aircraft guns had little effect, so the engineers placed anti-tank mines between their feet, then bored holes into their heads and packed them with dynamite.” Only outlines of the figures and a few details now remain in place; fragments of them (including about 30% of the smaller Buddha) are piled nearby.
The Taliban’s direction to destroy the Buddha images was motivated, in part, by the group’s extreme
campaign as well as their disdain for the fact that money from
countries was being spent on protecting the images while there was an intense and growing need for humanitarian aid in the region. It was also unquestionably an act designed to gain global media attention, as video and photographs of the destruction circulated quickly and were seen all over the world.
Bamiyan is now listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in Danger, and debates over how to restore the site connect to both national and international issues around what constitutes proper preservation, interpretation, and remembrance at former sites of violence. The questions that must now be answered about Bamiyan are: how do we preserve what is left at the site from further destruction or deterioration? How do we do so in a way that takes into account the needs and desires of the local, national, and international communities for whom this site holds meaning? And how do we properly memorialize the tragedy of the Buddhas’ recent destruction?
The Taliban’s claim that destroying the Buddha sculptures was an Islamic act is belied by the fact that Bamiyan had become predominantly Muslim by the 10th century and that the sculptures had up until 2001 remained a largely intact. Distinct, non-Buddhist local traditions had grown up around the two sculptures, with a legend characterizing them as doomed lovers who had pledged to live out their commitment to one another by standing together in stone for eternity. “Local people had completely forgotten they were figures of the Buddha,” said the head of historical monuments in Bamiyan province.
Learn about the Bamiyan Buddhas, the largest rock-cut Buddha sculptures in the world, carved in the 6th-7th century in Afghanistan. Discover their significance, influence, and tragic fate in this article from Khan Academy.
May 23, 2018 · Learn about the origins, significance, and destruction of the two giant Buddha statues carved into a cliff in the Bamiyan Valley. Discover how the Taliban regime decided to blow up the ancient monuments in 2001 and what happened after that.
- Kallie Szczepanski
Dec 6, 2023 · Learn about the Bamiyan Buddhas, the largest rock-cut Buddha sculptures in the world, carved in the 6th-7th century in Afghanistan. Discover their significance, influence, and fate in this article from Smarthistory.
Learn about the history and significance of the Buddhas of Bamiyan, the monumental statues carved into the cliffs of Afghanistan that were destroyed by the Taliban in 2001. Explore the challenges and opportunities of preserving and reviving the cultural heritage of Bamiyan through the Bamiyan Cultural Center project.
Mar 23, 2021 · Pascal Maitre captured the last images of the colossal Buddha sculptures in Bamiyan Valley before they were destroyed by the Taliban in 2001. Read his account of the daring trip and the cultural significance of the ancient Buddhas.
The UNESCO World Heritage Centre recounts the history and impact of the 2001 destruction of the Buddhas of Bamiyan, Afghanistan, and the international efforts to safeguard and reconstruct the cultural heritage of the region. Learn about the challenges, achievements and lessons of the Bamiyan case and its relevance for today.
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