Buddhas of Bamiyan

The Buddhas of Bamiyan (Persian: بت‌های باميان – but hay-e bamiyan) were two 6th century^[1] monumental statues of standing Buddhas carved into the side of a cliff. They are in the Bamyan valley in the Hazarajat region of central Afghanistan.

They were dynamited and destroyed in March 2001 by the Taliban.^[2] Japan and Switzerland, among others, have said they would help rebuild the statues.^[3]

The Buddhas are located 130 kilometers (81 miles) northwest of Kabul and stand at 2,500 meters (8,200 feet) above sea level. Scientists used carbon dating to find out when they were built. The smaller Buddha, which is 38 meters (125 feet) tall, was made around the year 570 CE. The bigger Buddha, which is 55 meters (180 feet) tall, was made around the year 618 CE. This means they were built during the time when the Hephthalites controlled the area.^[4]

The statues were an advanced form of Greco-Buddhist art in Gandhara. The larger statue, called "Salsal" ("the light shines through the universe"), was seen as male. The smaller statue, "Shah Mama" ("Queen Mother"), might have been female, but it’s uncertain. The smaller one was built first, then the bigger one. Both statues were reliefs, meaning their backs were connected to the cliff. The main structures were carved from sandstone, while details were shaped using mud mixed with straw and covered in stucco. Most of this coating has worn away over time. The faces, hands, and robes were painted to make them more expressive—the bigger one was painted red, while the smaller one had many colors. The statues’ lower arms were made from the same mud-straw mix, supported with wood, and their upper faces may have had large wooden masks.^[5]