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

stupa In Buddhism, a stupa (, ) is a domed hemispherical structure containing several types of sacred relics, including images, statues, metals, and '' śarīra''—the remains of Buddhist monks or nuns. It is used as a place of pilgrimage and m ...

and

monastery A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of Monasticism, monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in Cenobitic monasticism, communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a ...

complex in the vicinity of

Jalalabad Jalalabad (; Help:IPA/Persian, ͡ʒä.lɑː.lɑː.bɑːd̪ is the list of cities in Afghanistan, fifth-largest city of Afghanistan. It has a population of about 200,331, and serves as the capital of Nangarhar Province in the eastern part ...

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...

, dated to circa 150-160 CE, at the time of the

Kushan Empire The Kushan Empire (– CE) was a Syncretism, syncretic empire formed by the Yuezhi in the Bactrian territories in the early 1st century. It spread to encompass much of what is now Afghanistan, Eastern Iran, India, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbe ...

. 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 capitals, "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 golden amulet inset with

garnet Garnets () are a group of silicate minerals that have been used since the Bronze Age as gemstones and abrasives. Garnet minerals, while sharing similar physical and crystallographic properties, exhibit a wide range of chemical compositions, de ...

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, also known as Kanishka the Great, was an emperor of the Kushan dynasty, under whose reign (–150 CE) the empire reached its zenith. He is famous for his military, political, and spiritual achievements. A descendant of Kujula Kadp ...

, 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 legends, he was ...

, and one coin of

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

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

Domitian Domitian ( ; ; 24 October 51 – 18 September 96) was Roman emperor 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 Flavian dynasty. Described as "a r ...

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

Trajan Trajan ( ; born Marcus Ulpius Traianus, 18 September 53) was a Roman emperor from AD 98 to 117, remembered as the second of the Five Good Emperors of the Nerva–Antonine dynasty. He was a philanthropic ruler and a successful soldier ...

(98-117 CE) and a gold aureus of Sabina, wife of

Hadrian Hadrian ( ; ; 24 January 76 – 10 July 138) was Roman emperor from 117 to 138. Hadrian was born in Italica, close to modern Seville in Spain, an Italic peoples, Italic settlement in Hispania Baetica; his branch of the Aelia gens, Aelia '' ...

(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 Museum, public museum dedicated to human history, art and culture located in the Bloomsbury area of London. Its permanent collection of eight million works is the largest in the world. It documents the story of human cu ...

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

("ϹΑΛΗΝΗ") on the reverse Kanishka_with_Selene

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

Kanishka Kanishka I, also known as Kanishka the Great, was an emperor of the Kushan dynasty, under whose reign (–150 CE) the empire reached its zenith. He is famous for his military, political, and spiritual achievements. A descendant of Kujula Kadp ...

, 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 art Roman-Indian relations

See also

References

Sources