Ancient Buddha Statue Is Discovered in Afghanistan

[Coventina]

Source: New York Times

Archaeologists have unearthed a 62-foot Buddha statue along with other relics in central Afghanistan, Reuters reported. The discovery was made in the central province of Bamiyan, near the ruins of giant statues that were destroyed by the Taliban seven years ago. The statue of the Buddha in a sleeping position dates to the third century. “In total, 89 relics such as coins, ceramics and a 19 meters statue have been unearthed,” Mohammad Zia Afshar, an adviser in the information and culture ministry, told Reuters. He also said the statue was badly damaged. The other relics date back to the Bactrian era and from Islamic and Buddhist civilizations. Bamiyan was once a thriving center of Buddhism.



Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/09/arts/09arts-ANCIENTBUDDH_BRF.html?ref=arts

---

Well, there's one the Taliban didn't manage to destroy.

Man, I hate those guys.

If the world had taken the destruction of the giant Buddhas in March 2001 more seriously, maybe what happened 6 months later could have been prevented.

Here's hoping the newly found artifacts will find a safe home...

[hlthe2b]

1. re: "Well, there's one the Taliban didn't manage to destroy."

Not yet.... The world has a chance to try to save this one... Let's hope they do.

[Mabus]

3. That was my first thought too

It isn't safe yet.

[DS1]

2. KILL IT WITH BOMBS!

:eyes:

[SpiralHawk]

4. Buddha is reborn

Chaos destroys. Creation re-creates.

All that dies shall rise again.

[IndyOp]

5. Thank you, SpiralHawk - I appreciate your calm, thoughtful response.

How exciting! I just watched "The Giant Buddhas" about a month ago and it features the archaeologist who was searching for the sleeping Buddha. It is a heartbreaking and beautiful film.

The Giant Buddhas
http://www.giant-buddhas.com/en/protagonists/

[snooper2]

6. That really pissed me off when they did that..

REALLY pissed me off, how backwards do you have to be to destroy ancient statues...

Same thing when the Brits in the early 1900's used the sphinx for target practice...fucking bastards

[PassingFair]

7. The "Brits" have NEVER been accused of using the Sphinx for target practice.

It was the French...and apparently, there
is NO basis for THAT story, either...

http://www.napoleon-series.org/faq/c_sphinx.html

[snooper2]

16. I guess somebody needs to tell the Discovery channel..

will have to do some of my own research I guess..But some military invaders did use the Sphinx for target practice...there are gun shots all over it...

[YOY]

8. I thought it was the French in Napolean's time. Wasn't it?

n/t

[Glorfindel]

10. It wasn't the Brits, to be fair

The nose and beard of the sphinx were missing long before the early 1900's. It was probably the Turks who used it for target practice. Check this out for more info:

http://www.guardians.net/egypt/sphinx/index.html

[snooper2]

22. Looks like it was the turks upon further reading

thanks :)

I could swear the Discovery channel show on the sphinx said it was the Brits :shrug:

[tanyev]

15. U.S. Marines spray paint "Semper Fi" on ancient ziggurat.

The Smash of Civilization
Chalmers Johnson

At the 6,000-year-old Sumerian city of Ur with its massive ziggurat, or stepped temple-tower (built in the period 2112 - 2095 B.C. and restored by Nebuchadnezzar II in the sixth century B.C.), the Marines spray-painted their motto, "Semper Fi" (semper fidelis, always faithful) onto its walls.<20> The military then made the monument "off limits" to everyone in order to disguise the desecration that had occurred there, including the looting by U.S. soldiers of clay bricks used in the construction of the ancient buildings.

http://www.tomdispatch.com/post/174968

[xchrom]

9. recommend

[knitter4democracy]

11. Thank goodness they didn't destroy everything!

Art should always be defended and preserved, and it should even more so when it's a sacred piece.

[edwardian]

17. Not looking to get flamed, but...

I just spent the last few days packing up my painting studio and after 12 years in the same location, there is much that will be deliberately destroyed, by me, because art is really just another human activity, no better or more valuable than cooking or kayaking. Plato didn't even think we should be allowed to make art...I appreciate history and iconography and archeology, but the world is no better or worse off with a few more or less artworks, especially when we don't even know they exist...opinion. :)

[bean fidhleir]

27. No "flames", but I disagree with you.

Historical artefacts, including artworks, are almost always worth preserving for what they can tell us. Your work might not ever be important, but how can you know that today?

Knowledge, once lost or abandoned, might later be recovered - but what happens in the interim? Adults, especially, don't do things -including art- without a good reason. The reason doesn't necessarily go away just because the art isn't valued by ignorant people.

[knitter4democracy]

28. It depends on the art.

Knitting is an art, but it is meant to be worn and used. Those gorgeous hand-knit socks will someday have too many holes to repair easily and so will be thrown out. That sweater that you spent hundreds of dollars and hours on will someday end up at Goodwill or in an estate sale.

Some art is meant to be used up and has an end-life. Art like that, though, was built to stand the test of time and should be kept. It wasn't meant to be used up, and so we have a duty to the artist(s) to keep it alive for the next generation so their effort is not lost.

[FatDave]

31. In my humble opinion...

...art is what makes us human. Therefore, I hate to see it destroyed. You got paintings you want to get rid of? Put 'em on ebay for $.99. Somebody might enjoy them.

[gvstn]

12. Exactly!

"If the world had taken the destruction of the giant Buddhas in March 2001 more seriously, maybe what happened 6 months later could have been prevented."


At the time I couldn't believe the world was sitting around doing nothing when they had advance notice the destruction was planned. :(

Six months later, Everybody says "Oh, the Taliban are really bad authoritarian guys!" Doh...

[AnnaLouise]

13. American soldiers are being shot down by stinger missiles

It's good it survived American bombs and Taliban
American soldiers are being shot down by stinger missiles the CIA
provided the Mujahideen

[rayofreason]

18. More BS (just came from science).

Got a link?

Stingers from the 80's don't work anymore - too old.

[dysfunctional press]

25. what are they using for batteries?

the stingers they got thru poppy & ollie are well past their expiration dates.

[meowomon]

14. Now there is a very nice story. Thank you for posting

I had become so disheartened when the other Buddhas were destroyed.

[rayofreason]

19. Wonderful news.

I was in India when the Taliban blew up the statues. That event provoked rioting in Pune, where I was staying. It is wonderful that the Taliban never knew about this statue or they would have destroyed it too. And they will do so if they ever get the chance.

Fortunately, it doesn't look like they will get that chance any time soon.

[RedLetterRev]

20. Shall we not allow the same to happen here

with book- and record-burnings. It really doesn't matter whose fundamentalism it is, if the object is destructiveness, then perhaps we should examine the motives and the results. Just thinkin' out loud, hoping to protect ars gratia artis. I tend to think that if a mere object threatens one's faith, perhaps it's the quality of one's faith that's in need of examination rather than the necessity to destroy the object.

[Ian David]

21. I give it one month to live. n/t

[Marrah_G]

23. I agree- They will blow it up within weeks.

[dysfunctional press]

26. no- they knew about this one all along- blew up the other two to make this one more valuable.

probably some kind of insurance fraud scheme...:silly:

[faulknercindy]

24. That was my first thought....

But I hope everyone realizes that there is a Taliban attempting to take this country over. Vote Nov. 4

[jplnus]

29. one of the worst things I ever witnessed

was the destruction of the last ones after 911...

this is very good news

[IndyOp]

30. Welcome to DU, jplnus! Stick around, this election season is just getting started. (n/t)

:hi:

[Hestia]

32. There is a PBS Special with National Geographic on how people

hid art in Afghanistan during the Taliban years. There was a film industry there, the Taliban told the directors to destroy all film. What did they do? They walled in the entire room so that the Taliban wouldn't be able to find it. When the Taliban fell, they unwalled the room and are now making copies of the Afghanistan films.

On pieces of art - in order to keep the Taliban from destroying art pieces, the museum painted with watercolor over the oils, hiding the objectional parts, in order to keep the art work.

There are many examples of how people did what they could to keep the arts alive in Afghanistan during those years. It really makes you tear up and applaud the human spirit.

[humus]

33. The threat to world heritage

http://users.ox.ac.uk/~wolf0126/bombed.html