Kara Tepe

37.278239°N 67.182916°E / 37.278239; 67.182916 Kara Tepe is a Buddhist archaeological site in the Central Asia region of Bactria, in the Termez oasis near the city of Termez in southern Uzbekistan.[1][2][3] The foundations of the site date to the 1st century CE, with a peak of activity around the 3rd and 4th centuries during the Kushan period, before experiencing a fatal decline around the 5th century CE, probably with the invasion of the Kushano-Sassanian, whose coinage can be found on the site.[1]

For other uses, see Karatepe (disambiguation).
Kara Tepe
Kara Tepe, West, Round Stupa 100-600 CE
Kara Tepe is located in West and Central Asia
Kara Tepe
Kara Tepe
Location of Kara Tepe
Kara Tepe is located in Uzbekistan
Kara Tepe
Kara Tepe
Kara Tepe (Uzbekistan)
Kara Tepe is located in Bactria
Kara Tepe
Kara Tepe
Kara Tepe (Bactria)

Site

The site of Kara Tepe is located on a slight height, a few hundred meters from Fayaz Tepe. It can be visited together with the Fayaz Tepe for an extra entrance fee. The site is formed some outdoor constructions together with several caves dug in the hill, covering a surface of 7 hectares, in a type similar to those seen in Gandhara.[1] It is the only troglodyte group found in Central Asia. Some of the artifacts found in the ruins are exhibited in the Fayaz Tepe museum at the entrance of the Fayaz Tepe site.

The "vaulted cave" design seen in Kara Tepe is thought to have been the inspiration for the vaulted caves at Kizil, in particular the Cave of the Hippocampi, dated to 300-350 CE.[4]

  • North court
    North court
  • General view, northern area
    General view, northern area
  • Inside a cave
    Inside a cave

Artefacts

Many niches were found that sheltered sculptures of gold or ceramic Buddhas, and awnings rested on impressive colonnades.[1] Remarkably, some of the Buddha statues are surrounded by a full halo, which became current in Turkestan and East Asia after the Kushan period.[1][2] A Brahmi inscription was also recovered from the site.[5]

  • Terracotta head (200-400 CE)
    Terracotta head (200-400 CE)
  • Relief (200-400 CE)
    Relief (200-400 CE)
  • Terracotta head
    Terracotta head
  • Frieze of an elephant
    Frieze of an elephant
  • Kara Tepe mural, 2nd-4th century CE.
    Kara Tepe mural, 2nd-4th century CE.
  • "Greek" column base
    "Greek" column base

See also

References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kara Tepe.
  1. Dani, Ahmad Hasan; Litvinovskiĭ, Boris Abramovich (1999). History of Civilizations of Central Asia. Motilal Banarsidass Publ. p. 549-550. ISBN 978-81-208-1540-7.
  2. Rhie, Marylin Martin (2010). Early Buddhist Art of China and Central Asia, Volume 3: The Western Ch’in in Kansu in the Sixteen Kingdoms Period and Inter-relationships with the Buddhist Art of Gandhāra. BRILL. p. 34. ISBN 978-90-04-19019-1.
  3. Muzio, Ciro Lo. The Legacy of Gandhāra in Central Asian Painting". p. 116.
  4. Rhie, Marylin Martin. Early Buddhist Art of China and Central Asia, Volume 2 The Eastern Chin and Sixteen Kingdoms Period in China and Tumshuk, Kucha and Karashahr in Central Asia (2 vols). BRILL. pp. 651 ff. ISBN 978-90-04-39186-4.
  5. Hinüber, Oskar von (1980). A Brahmi-inscription from Kara-Tepe.
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