Early Buddhist Period in the Indus Valley (1st – 2nd century A.D.)

#2

Here surprising early the Buddha is represented as a person and not only as a symbol. There are pictures of animals whose bodies are decorated by leaving circular blanks as was the case in the time of the Achaemenids. A monk in barbarian costume offering incense to the stupa is depicted in two places. Another person carries a receptacle and, in one case, also alittle flag. The schematic picture of a fenced in tree has a long tradition ( we know it from the so-called tribal coins) this may also apply to other symbols. How then can the sudden appearance of Buddhism, the makers familiarity with the ceremonial buildings and symbols of the plain, but also the many signs of the warlike character of the pious community be explained?

Today we know about small states in the foothills of the mountains which were founded by Saka dynasties. Their princes adorned themselves with Sanskrit names and tiltles and later, of their own free will, became part of the association of the Kusan Empire as feudal lords. Perhaps one of them had stationed one of his troops on the Indus and these had formerly served in the plain and had been converted to Buddhism there. (Christianity and the Mithras Cult spread in a similar manner.) This might well have been the state Uda (Chinese : Wu-cha) of which the Kaghan Valley was a part. A garrison moved forward to the Indus would have had strategic advantages for this state. Besides they could thus tax the goldwashers who certainly had been panning for gold at the Indus as early as that. In the imagination of the warriors Buddhism was mixed with elements of the popular belief of Gandhara, but also with their tribal religion. That is why they pictured the stupa, reminiscent of older dynastic sanctuaries, with a constantly accessible central chamber. Sometimes it is not obvious whether the clearly visible portal only leads to the ambulatory – this would correspond to the Buddhist ritual of walking round the stupa – or really into the interior of the building. One carving evidently has a double meaning – it is a stupa and a human figure as well. An anthropomorphous pillar belongs to it; added to all this is a sun disc which has likewise been made into an extremely unorthodox stupa. Next to it is the word “Hariti” – this does not necessarily mean the child-eating demon, who later became a benevolent goddess; it could also be somebody’s name.

Subsequent decorations of the sanctuary are for the most part easily discernible. They are clearly post-Buddhist – only individual petroglyphs cannot be identified with one of the main groups.