Kushanas.pdf

kushanas The ​Kushan Empire​ was a syncretic empire, formed by​ ​Yuezhi​, in the​ ​Bactrian​ territories in the early 1st century. ● It spread to encompass much of​ ​Afghanistan​, and then the northern parts of the​ ​Indian subcontinent​ at least as far as​ ​Saketa​ and​ ​Sarnath​ near​ ​Varanasi​ (Benares), where inscriptions have been found dating to the era of the Kushan emperor​ ​Kanishka the Great​. ● Emperor Kanishka was a great patron of​ ​Buddhism​; however, as Kushans expanded southward, the deities of theirlater coinage came to reflect its new​ ​Hindu​ majority. ●

possibly​ ​Iranian​ or​ ​Tocharian​,​ I​ ndo-European​ nomadic people who migrated from the​ ​Tarim Basin​ (modern​ ​Xinjiang​) and settled in ancient​ ​Bactria

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A direct road from​ ​Gandhara​ to China remained under Kushan control for more than a century, encouraging travel across the Karakoram and facilitating the​ ​spread of Mahayana Buddhism​ to China

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While much philosophy, art, and science was created within its borders, the only textual record of the empire's history today comes from inscriptions and accounts in other languages, particularly Chinese

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The Kushan empire fragmented into semi-independent kingdoms in the 3rd century AD, which fell to the​ ​Sasanians​ invading from the west

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In the 4th century, the​ ​Guptas​, an Indian dynasty also pressed from the east.

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The last of the Kushan and Sasanian kingdoms were eventually overwhelmed by the Hepthalites​, another​ ​Indo-European people​ from the north

Kanishka . Mathura Museum 1. Fort at Bathinda​ (​Qila Mubarak​), in the modern city of​ ​Bathinda​, Indian​ ​Punjab​. 2. summer capital in​ ​Bagram​ (then known as Kapisa), where the "Begram Treasure", comprising works of art from Greece to China, has been found

MATHURA SCHOOL ●

A​ ​Buddhist​ ​stupa​ was excavated in 1968, but in February 1985 a rich treasure of 117 beautiful carved stone slabs,which includes 69 pillars, 35 crossbars, figures and figurines, was excavated by the experts of the​ ​Directorate of Archaeology​, Punjab.

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Scholars have explained them as​ K ​ ushan​ sculptures of the​ ​Mathura​ school of the 1st and 2nd centuries AD.

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These treasures have since been displayed for art lovers and historians in​ ​Sanghol Museum​. Many of the art pieces from this museum often go on display as special exhibits at various museums around the world.

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Mathura​) is a city in the​ ​North​ ​Indian​ ​state​ of​ ​Uttar Pradesh Mathura is the birthplace of​ ​Krishna​ at the centre of Braj or Brij-bhoomi, called Shri Krishna Janma-Bhoomi, literally: 'Lord Krishna's birthplace' the city is mentioned in the oldest Indian epic, the​ ​Ramayana​. The city was later ruled by the​ ​Maurya​ empire (4th to 2nd centuries BCE) and the Shunga​ dynasty (2nd century BCE). It may have come under the control of​ ​Indo-Greeks some time between 180 BCE and 100 BCE. It then reverted to local rule before being conquered by the​ ​Indo-Scythians​ during the 1st century BCE.

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Mathuran art and culture reached its zenith under the​ ​Kushan​ dynasty which had Mathura as one of their capitals, the other being Purushapura (​Peshawar​) GHANDARA SCHOOL

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Gandhāra​ is the ancient term for the city and old kingdom of​ ​Peshawar​, its capital city was​ ​Charsadda​, but later the capital city was moved to​ ​Peshawar​ by the Kushan​ emperor​ ​Kanishka the Great​ in about 127. (c. 1500-500 BC). As a center of​ ​Greco-Buddhism​,​ ​Bactrian​ ​Zoroastrianism​ and Animism​, Gandhara attained its height from the 1st century to the 5th century under the Kushan​ Kings.

Head of a bodhisattva, ca. 4th century Gandhara's culture peaked during the reign of the great Kushan king​ ​Kanishka the Great (128–151). ● Gandhara's culture peaked during the reign of the great Kushan king​ ​Kanishka the Great (128–151). The cities of Taxila (Takṣaśilā) at Sirsukh and Peshawar were built. Peshawar became the capital of a great empire stretching from Gandhara to Central Asia ● Kanishka was a great patron of the Buddhist faith; Buddhism spread ● Under Kanishka, Gandhara became a holy land of Buddhism and attracted Chinese pilgrims eager to view the monuments associated with many​ ​Jatakas​. ● In Gandhara,​ ​Mahayana Buddhism​ flourished and Buddha was represented in human form. Under the Kushans new Buddhists ​stupas​ were built and old ones were enlarged. Huge statues of the Buddha were erected in monasteries and carved into the hillsides. ● Kanishka also built a great 400-foot tower at Peshawar. This tower was reported by Chinese monks​ ​Faxian​,​ ​Song Yun​, and​ ​Xuanzang​ who visited the country. This structure was destroyed and rebuilt many times until it was finally destroyed by​ ​Mahmud of Ghazni in the 11th century.

Casket of​ ​Kanishka the Great​, with Buddhist motifs

Greco-Buddhist​ statue of standing Buddha, Gandhara