British Academy: The UK's National Academy for the Humanities and Social Sciences

After Alexander: Central Asia Before Islam

Buddhism and Buddhist Art of Bactria-Tokharistan: excavation at Kara-tepe (the history of Vihara of the ruler)

Tigran Mkrtychev

Buddhism played an important part in the history of Central Asia from the 1st to 10th centuries. Buddhism was important not only in the formation of the religious picture in Bactria-Tokharistan, Margiana, Sogdia, Fergana and Semirech’e but was a prominent factor in the formation of the art and culture of these regions. The excavations of many Buddhist monuments (monasteries, stupas, temples) have provided various materials – architecture, sculpture, mural and epigraphic finds.

Using excavations on Kara-tepe in Old Termez I try to reconstruct the history of Buddhism in connection with Buddhist art of Bactria-Tokharistan. In spite of much discussion about the chronology of Buddhism in Bactria-Tokharistan, I would like to highlight the following themes:

1. The beginning of the spread of Buddhism in Bactria and the heritage of Greco-Bactrian art: the formation of the Dynastic Art of the Kushan and the anthropomorphic image of Buddha.
2. Buddhist art of Bactria – the local part of Gandharan art (unity of style and repertoire peculiarities; chronology of movement).
3. The Buddhist schools (mahasanghikas) and Buddhist monuments in Bactria (architecture, monumental decor: origin, influences, local peculiarities, repertoire).
4. The peculiarities of the spread of Buddhism and Buddhist art in Bactria-Tokharistan (sangha, donators, monumental art and small forms).
5. The Buddhist and non-Buddhist art in Bactria-Tokharistan in Kushan and post-Kushan times (the problem of interaction: technology, style and repertoire).
6. The Buddhist art of Hepthtalites time (monuments, decor and images).
7. Buddhism in Tokharistan: under the Turks ruling and Karkota influence (monuments, style, repertoire).