Tepe Maranjan
 The Stupa at Tepe Maranjan | |
| Coordinates | 34°31′04″N 69°12′30″E / 34.517801°N 69.208328°E / 34.517801; 69.208328 |
|---|---|
| Type | Monastery |
Tepe Maranjan was a Buddhist monastery, located on the eastern outskirts of Kabul, and dated to the 4th century CE,[1] or the 6-7th century for the Buddhist phase.[2] Many Buddhist sculptures were discovered on the site. They are made of clay, and stylistically derived from the sculptures of Hadda, but preceded the style of the Fondukistan monastery.[1] Tepe Maranjan can be considered as representative of the Art of Gandhara of the 5th or 6th century CE.[1]
The archaeological site of Tepe Maranjan was excavated by French DAFA Jean Carl in 1933, again by Gérard Fussman in 1976 archaeologist In a suburb of Kabul, east of the tomb of King Nadir Shah and south of the road to Jalalabad and Peshawar, the monastery of Tepe Maranjan was excavated by Jean Carl in 1933. The site was surveyed again by gérard fussman in 1976 and by Zemaralaï Tarzi of the Afghan Institute of Archaeology more recently.[3]
A large hoard of Sasanian Empire coins was discovered in Tepe Maranjan: 367 Sasanian silver drachms from king Shapur II (309-79) to Ardashir II (379-83), which, owing to their uniformity, are thought to have been minted in the vicinity of Kabul.[4] The hoard also contained 12 scyphate gold dinars of the Kidarites, which might have circulated at the same time as the Sasanian coins, or may have been added later.[4]
Gallery
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Seated Buddha at Tepe Maranjan
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Kneeling Buddhist donors at Tepe Maranjan
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Tepe Maranjan Bodhisattva head
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Tepe Maranjan seated Bodhisattva
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Coin in the name of Kidara I, with legend "βαγο Κιδαρο οοζορκο κοþανοþαο" "Kidara, the great Kushanshah", of the type found in Tepe Maranjan (Type 6A-D), dated to before 388 CE.[5]
![Coin in the name of Kidara I, with legend "βαγο Κιδαρο οοζορκο κοþανοþαο" "Kidara, the great Kushanshah", of the type found in Tepe Maranjan (Type 6A-D), dated to before 388 CE.[5]](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/41/Kidara_coin,_4th_century_CE,_type_6A-D.jpg/1280px-Kidara_coin,_4th_century_CE,_type_6A-D.jpg)
See also
References
- ^ a b c Dani, Ahmad Hasan; Harmatta, János (1999). History of Civilizations of Central Asia. Motilal Banarsidass Publ. p. 360. ISBN 978-81-208-1408-0.
- ^ Kuwayama, Shoshin (1991). "The Horizon of Begram III and Beyond A Chronological Interpretation of the Evidence for Monuments in the Kāpiśī-Kabul-Ghazni Region". East and West. 41 (1/4): 100 (22). ISSN 0012-8376.
- ^ Francine, Tissot (31 December 2006). Catalogue of the National Museum of Afghanistan, 1931-1985. UNESCO Publishing. p. 343. ISBN 978-92-3-104030-6.
- ^ a b ALRAM, MICHAEL (2014). "From the Sasanians to the Huns New Numismatic Evidence from the Hindu Kush". The Numismatic Chronicle. 174: 261–291. ISSN 0078-2696. JSTOR 44710198.
- ^ Bakker, Hans T. (2017). The Huns in Central and South Asia. How Two Centuries of War against Nomadic Invaders from the Steps are Concluded by a Game of Chess between the Kings of India and Iran.
