AFGHANISTAN: Bamiyan
The `Bamiyan Buddhas` were two giant standing Buddhas carved in a cliff-face
in the Bamiyan Valley, 230 km north-west of Kabul. Successive Muslim
invaders of Afghanistan attempted to destroy the statues but they survived
for more than 1800 years, until being blown up by Taliban zealots in 2001.
This act of vandalism is a huge loss for both Buddhist pilgrims and poor
Bamiyan villagers dependent on the Buddhas as a source of income from
visitors. A joint project by UNESCO and the Afghan government to recreate
the site, via laser Projections, remains on
hold due to continuing Taliban activity. But while the statues were always
the focus of attention, Buddhist paintings discovered in the valley are
creating interest in the art world. The frescoes, depicting scenes from the
life of Buddha, were painted by monks living in small caves and likely by
itinerant Buddhist artists. Art-historians believe the paintings were
created using paint oil derived from the walnuts and poppies, which still
grow in the region. In which case they are the oldest oil paintings in the
world since the use of oil in artworks only
started in Europe some 600 centuries later.