A recent archaeological discovery in Pakistan has revealed an astonishing trove of bronze coins, believed to be more than 2,000 years old, in the ruins of a Buddhist stupa (temple) at the site. ancient point Mohenjo-Daro! The site, which dates back to around 2600 BC, was part of the ancient Indus Valley/Harappan civilization, considered one of the oldest civilizations globally.
The coins and stupas are believed to date from the Kushan Empire, a predominantly Buddhist kingdom that ruled from the second century BC to the third century AD after conquering the Kingdom of Greece. -Bactrian was founded in Central Asia by Alexander the Great.
“The stupa was built atop the desolate ruins of Mohenjo-Daro after its decline [about] 1,600 years later,” archaeologist and tour guide Sheikh Javed Ali Sindhi told Live Science.
Location of coin hoard found in Mohenjo-Daro. (Sheikh Javed Ali Sindhi)
On the desolate ruins of Mohenjo-Daro: Kushan Stupa
The unearthed coins were green in color due to copper corrosion. They were discovered during a salvage excavation caused by a wall collapse at the site. The consolidated hoard, weighing about 12 pounds, may have included between 1,000 and 1,500 individual coins. Some coins in the hoard depict a standing figure believed to represent a Kushan king.
These findings are particularly significant as they mark the first artifacts discovered at the ruins of the stupa since 1931. These coins bear similarities to previous discoveries from the 1920s and 1930, depicting a standing figure and on the reverse Hindu iconography. Shiva and other symbols reflect the fusion of Buddhist beliefs with Hindu origins.
Sheikh Javed Ali Sindhi and another archaeologist with a trove of coins. That’s right, close the coins. (Sheikh Javed Ali Sindhi)
Mohenjo-Daro and the influence of Buddhism
Mohenjo-Daro was once a prosperous city of the Harappan civilization, abandoned around 1800 BC, possibly due to climate change leading to a dry environment. The Buddhist stupa at the site was built around 150 AD, during the rule of the Kushan Empire, but was finally abandoned in 500 AD, possibly due to earthquakes or decline. reduce the influence of Buddhism.
Harappa.com reports, the Kushan Empire by that time had splintered into independent kingdoms, facing successive conquests by Sasanian Persians and northern invaders, possibly related related to the Huns.
Buddhism originated in the 6th century BC in ancient India, in what is now northeastern India and parts of Nepal. Siddhartha Gautama, later known as the Buddha, founded the religion based on his insights into the nature of suffering and the path to enlightenment.
Ancient Buddhism found fertile ground for growth and development in what is now Pakistan. Emperor Ashoka’s patronage in the 3rd century BC significantly influenced the spread of Buddhism, with missionaries dispatched to various parts of the Mauryan Empire, including present-day Pakistan. now. Evidence of this was also found last year when a unique Buddha pendant was unearthed in Mohenjo-Daro, evidence of this shared history.
The Gandhara region, which includes parts of modern Pakistan and Afghanistan, emerged as a prominent center of Buddhist art and culture during the rule of the Kushan Empire in the 1st to 3rd centuries AD. . Taxila, an ancient city in Pakistan, became an important center of Buddhist learning, is home to one of the world’s oldest universities, and serves as a repository for Buddhist stupas and monasteries. The Silk Road further facilitated the exchange of Buddhist ideas and artifacts.
However, with the decline of the Kushan Empire and the advent of Islam in the 7th century, the influence of Buddhism gradually weakened. Many monasteries and Buddhist sites are no longer in use or have been reused. Despite this decline, surviving sites such as Taxila continue to bear witness to the rich Buddhist heritage that once flourished in the region.
Top image: The coins found date back to the time of the Kushan Empire, which ruled the region from around the second century BC until around the third century AD Source: Sheikh Javed Ali Sindhi
