Ahan Posh or Ahan Posh Tape (Persian: آهن پوش (''âhan puš'') "iron-covered (place)") is an ancient Buddhist stupa and

monastery A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone ( hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer whi ...

complex in the vicinity of

Jalalabad Jalalabad (; Dari/ ps, جلال‌آباد, ) is the fifth-largest city of Afghanistan. It has a population of about 356,274, and serves as the capital of Nangarhar Province in the eastern part of the country, about from the capital Kabul. Jala ...

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...

, dated to circa 150-160 CE, at the time of the Kushan Empire. The stupa was first excavated by William Simpson in February 1879. He cleared the base of the stupa and dug a tunnel to the center. The excavation found the remains of a colossal Buddha statue in clay covered with stucco at the entrance of the principal gateway, with feet measuring 58 centimeters in length. The stupa was decorated with

Indo-Corinthian capital Indo-Corinthian capitals are capitals crowning columns or pilasters, which can be found in the northwestern Indian subcontinent, and usually combine Hellenistic and Indian elements. These capitals are typically dated to the first centuries of the C ...

s, "Indo-Persian" capitals, and capitals of the Ionic order typical of the Roman period. Some of the Indo-Corinthian capitals had Buddhas seated among the foliage. A relic deposit compartment was found at the center of the stupa Ahin Posh, which was reached by a tunnel dug by Simpson. The deposit included a

Gandharan Gandhāra is the name of an ancient region located in the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent, more precisely in present-day north-west Pakistan and parts of south-east Afghanistan. The region centered around the Peshawar Val ...

golden amulet inset with

garnet Garnets () are a group of silicate minerals that have been used since the Bronze Age as gemstones and abrasives. All species of garnets possess similar physical properties and crystal forms, but differ in chemical composition. The different s ...

s, in which two coins were found: one of Wima Kadphises and one of Kanishka. Overall, numerous coins of Kushan kings were found in the central deposit compartment: ten coins of Wima Kadphises (c. 113–127 CE), six coins of

Kanishka I Kanishka I (Sanskrit: कनिष्क, '; Greco-Bactrian: Κανηϸκε ''Kanēške''; Kharosthi: 𐨐𐨞𐨁𐨮𐨿𐨐 '; Brahmi: '), or Kanishka, was an emperor of the Kushan dynasty, under whose reign (c. 127–150 CE) the empire r ...

, including one with an image of the standing

Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism. According to Buddhist tradition, he was born in L ...

, and one coin of

Huvishka Huvishka (Kushan: Οοηϸκι, ''Ooēški'', Brahmi: ', '; Kharosthi: 𐨱𐨂𐨬𐨅𐨮𐨿𐨐 ', ') was the emperor of the Kushan Empire from the death of Kanishka (assumed on the best evidence available to be in 150 CE) until the successio ...

(circa 150–190 CE). Roman coins were also found in the deposit: a gold aureus of Roman emperor

Domitian Domitian (; la, Domitianus; 24 October 51 – 18 September 96) was a Roman emperor who reigned from 81 to 96. The son of Vespasian and the younger brother of Titus, his two predecessors on the throne, he was the last member of the Fl ...

(81–96 CE), a gold coin of the Roman emperor

Trajan Trajan ( ; la, Caesar Nerva Traianus; 18 September 539/11 August 117) was Roman emperor from 98 to 117. Officially declared ''optimus princeps'' ("best ruler") by the senate, Trajan is remembered as a successful soldier-emperor who presi ...

(98-117 CE) and a gold aureus of

Sabina Sabina may refer to: Places and jurisdictions * Sabina (region), region and place in Italy, and hence: * the now Suburbicarian Diocese of Sabina (-Poggio Mirteto), Italy * Magliano Sabina, city, Italy * Pozzaglia Sabina, city, Italy *Fara Sab ...

, wife of Hadrian (117-138 CE). In the coin of Sabina, she is entitled "Agusta", a title she received in 117 CE, at the time Hadrian was proclaimed Emperor. Therefore, the final dedication of the Ahin Posh stupa necessarily occurred after this date, probably during the few decades after 120 CE. This deposit now forms part of the collections of the

British Museum The British Museum is a public museum dedicated to human history, art and culture located in the Bloomsbury area of London. Its permanent collection of eight million works is among the largest and most comprehensive in existence. It docum ...

. File:Ahin Posh Roman coins.jpg, The three Roman coins found in the central deposit at Ahin Posh Image:TrajanCoinAhinposhBuddhistMonasteryAfghanistan.jpg, A coin of the Roman Emperor

, found together with coins of Kanishka, at Ahin Posh. Image:KanishkaICoinFoundInAhinposhAfghanistan.jpg, Coin of Kanishka, found at Ahin Posh. This one has goddess

Selene In ancient Greek mythology and religion, Selene (; grc-gre, Σελήνη , meaning "Moon"''A Greek–English Lexicon's.v. σελήνη) is the goddess and the personification of the Moon. Also known as Mene, she is traditionally the daughter of ...

("ϹΑΛΗΝΗ") on the reverse Kanishka_with_Selene

. Image:AhinPoshGoldenAmulet2ndCenturyCE.jpg, The golden amulet which contained coins of Wima Kadphises and

Kanishka Kanishka I (Sanskrit: कनिष्क, '; Greco-Bactrian: Κανηϸκε ''Kanēške''; Kharosthi: 𐨐𐨞𐨁𐨮𐨿𐨐 '; Brahmi: '), or Kanishka, was an emperor of the Kushan dynasty, under whose reign (c. 127–150 CE) the empire ...

, now in the

. File:Ahin Posh, coin of Kanishka with the Buddha.jpg, Gold coin of Kanishka, with depiction of the

, found in Ahin Posh. File:Ahin Posh stupa Buddha, Simpson 1878.jpg, Ahin Posh stupa Buddha, Simpson 1878 File:Ahin Posh stupa view by William Simpson, Illustrated London News August 16, 1879.jpg, View of the ruins of Ahin Posh stupa, Illustrated London News August 16, 1879 File:Ahin Posh stupa, Simpson 1878.jpg, Plan of Ahin Posh stupa, by William Simpson in 1878 File:Ahin Posh stupa and vihara, Simpson 1878.jpg, Ahin Posh stupa and vihara next to it, Simpson 1878 File:Gold coins found at Ahin Posh.jpg, All the coins found in the central chamber at Ahin Posh.

References

Sources

* * "Documents Epigraphiques Kushans" G. Fussman {{Afghanistan topics Central Asian Buddhist sites Archaeological sites in Afghanistan Buddhism in Afghanistan Stupas in Afghanistan Kushan Empire

See also

References

Sources