Tapa Shotor

Coordinates: 34°21′58″N 70°28′08″E / 34.366041°N 70.468981°E / 34.366041; 70.468981
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Tapa Shotor
(Hadda)
Herakles (left, as Vajrapani) and Tyche (right, as Hariti), in Niche V2, 2nd century CE. Photographed in 1981 by Louis Dupree, before its destructions by the Taliban in 1992.[1][2]
Tapa Shotor is located in Afghanistan
Tapa Shotor
Shown within Afghanistan
Tapa Shotor is located in Gandhara
Tapa Shotor
Tapa Shotor (Gandhara)
Tapa Shotor is located in South Asia
Tapa Shotor
Tapa Shotor (South Asia)
Coordinates34°21′58″N 70°28′08″E / 34.366041°N 70.468981°E / 34.366041; 70.468981
TypeBuddhist monastery
History
Founded1st century BCE
Abandoned9th century CE
Head of a Buddha or Bodhisattva, facing (4th-5th century), probably Hadda, Tapa Shotor.[3][4]
Seated Buddha, Tapa Shotor (Niche V1).

Tapa Shotor, also Tape Shotor or Tapa-e-shotor ("Camel Hill"),

Sarvastivadin monastery near Hadda, Afghanistan, and is now an archaeological site.[6] According to archaeologist Raymond Allchin, the site of Tapa Shotor suggests that the Greco-Buddhist art of Gandhara descended directly from the art of Hellenistic Bactria, as seen in Ai-Khanoum.[7]

The site of Tapa Shotor was destroyed by arson and looted in 1992.[1]

Stylistic analysis

In view of the style of the objects found at Tapa Shotor, particularly the clay figures, Allchin suggests that either Bactrian artists came and worked for Buddhist monasteries, or that local artists had become "fully conversant" in Hellenistic art.[7] This opinion was confirmed by the archaeologist who excavated the site Tarzi: "in the light of the latest discoveries there is no longer any doubt about the prolongation of the Graeco-Bactrian artistic past".[8] According to Tarzi, Tapa Shotor, with clay sculptures dated to the 2nd century CE, represents the "missing link" between the Hellenistic art of Bactria, and the later stucco sculptures found at Hadda, usually dated to the 3rd-4th century CE.[1] The sculptures of Tapa Shortor are also contemporary with many of the early Buddhist sculptures found in Gandhara.[1]

Traditionally, the influx of artists conversant in Hellenistic art has been attributed to the migration of the Greek populations from the

Dionysopolis, and that they were responsible for the Buddhist creations of Tapa Shotor in the 2nd century CE.[9]

Chronology

According to archaeologist

vihara, and niches 1, 2 and 3 in particular.[10] The period after Vasudeva I to the last Kushans (225-350 CE) saw the creation of niche XIII. After the Kushans, a period of the site corresponds to the Kidarites (4th-5th century CE).[10] The site remained inactive for about 250 years, from around 500 to 750 CE. A last period of activity followed, only marked by restorations, before the destruction of the site by fire in the 9th century CE. The period have been structured as follows:[10]

Excavation

The monastery was excavated by an all-Afghan archaeological team. It yielded numerous sculptures in an archaeologically intact environment, providing great insights on the art of the region. A stupa was excavated in the main courtyard.[11]

A coin of the Indo-Greek king Menander was found in the ruins, but the abundance of finds of Kushan coinage suggest a main 4th century CE date for the site.[11]

Tapa Shortor had some beautiful statuary in Hellenistic style, particularly one seated Buddha attended by

Herakles-Vajrapani and a Tyche-like woman holding a cornucopia, now destroyed (Niche V2).[12][13] Another has an attendant reminding the portrait of Alexander the Great.[14][15] Boardman suggested that the sculpture in the area might be an "incipient Buddhist sculpture in Indo-Greek style".[16]

Figures of Herakles-Vajrapani with thunderbolt, and Tyche-Hariti with cornucopia, flanking a Buddha at Tapa Shotor, Hadda, 2nd century CE. This is unique photograph as the sculpture was destroyed in 1992 by the Taliban.

Many of the statues are three-dimensional representations in-the-round, a rare instance in the area of Hadda, which related the style of Tapa Shotor to the Hellenistic art of Bactria, and to the Buddhist caves of Xinjiang such as the Mogao Caves, probably directly inspired by these.[17]

Various niches display scenes of the Buddha surrounded by attendants (especially niches V1, V2, V3). Niche XIII, or "Aquatic niche", also demonstrates sculpture in the round, and depicts Naga Kalika predicting the success of the

Penjikent.[18][19] These sculptures are made of clay, while later sculptures molded in stucco can also be seen at the site.[20]

  • Map of Hadda, by Charles Masson in 1841. Tapa Shotor was the "Large Mound with a hollow".[21]
    Map of Hadda, by Charles Masson in 1841. Tapa Shotor was the "Large Mound with a hollow".[21]
  • Painting of the lunette of an underground meditation chamber.[22] Tapa Shotor, period VI (350-450 CE).[23]
    Painting of the lunette of an underground meditation chamber.[22] Tapa Shotor, period VI (350-450 CE).[23]
  • Attendants to the Buddha, Tapa Shotor (Niche V1)
    Attendants to the Buddha, Tapa Shotor (Niche V1)
  • Buddha attendants, Tapa Shotor (Niche V1)
    Buddha attendants, Tapa Shotor (Niche V1)
  • Seated Buddha with "Vajrapani-Alexander" attendant. Tapa Shotor (Niche V3).[24]
    Seated Buddha with "Vajrapani-Alexander" attendant. Tapa Shotor (Niche V3).[24]
  • Head of "Vajrapani-Alexander", Tapa (Niche V3).[25]
    Head of "Vajrapani-Alexander", Tapa (Niche V3).[25]
  • Buddha attendants, Tapa Shotor
    Buddha attendants, Tapa Shotor
  • Small decorated stupas in Tapa Shotor.[26]
    Small decorated stupas in Tapa Shotor.[26]
  • Site of Tapa Shotor, with a protective roof.[26]
    Site of Tapa Shotor, with a protective roof.[26]

External links

  • Description and plan of Tapa Shotor (French)
  • The famous Buddha with Herakles-Vajrapani and Tyche can be seen in Vanleene, Alexandra. "The Geography of Gandhara Art" (PDF): 150. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tapa Shotor.
  1. ^ a b c d Tarzi, Zémaryalai. "Le site ruiné de Hadda": 62 ff. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  2. ^ "Tepe Shotor Tableau. Hadda, Nangarhar Province. ACKU Images System". ackuimages.photoshelter.com.
  3. ISBN 978-1-58839-224-4
    .
  4. ^ Boardman, George. The Greeks in Asia. pp. Greeks and their arts in India.
  5. ^ Vanleene, Alexandra. "The Geography of Gandhara Art" (PDF): 143. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  6. ^ Vanleene, Alexandra. "The Geography of Gandhara Art" (PDF): 158. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  7. ^
    ISBN 9788186030486
    .
  8. JSTOR 29757655
    .
  9. ^ a b Tarzi, Zémaryalai. "Le site ruiné de Hadda": 63. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  10. ^ a b c d Vanleene, Alexandra. "Tapa-e Shotor". Hadda Archeo Data Base. ArcheoDB, 2021.
  11. ^ a b Kuwayama, Shoshin (1988). "Tapa Shotor and Lalma: Aspects of stupa courts at Hadda" (PDF). Annali dell'Università degli studi di Napoli "L'Orientale".
  12. ISBN 978-1-58839-224-4
    .
  13. ^ Vanleene, Alexandra. "The Geography of Gandhara Art" (PDF): 148-149. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  14. ISBN 978-0-691-03680-9
    .
  15. ^ Vanleene, Alexandra. "The Geography of Gandhara Art" (PDF): 150. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  16. ISBN 978-0-691-03680-9
    .
  17. ^ Vanleene, Alexandra. "The Geography of Gandhara Art" (PDF): 152-153. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  18. JSTOR 29757655
    .
  19. ^ Vanleene, Alexandra. "The Geography of Gandhara Art" (PDF): 152-153. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  20. ^ Vanleene, Alexandra. "The Geography of Gandhara Art" (PDF): 152-153. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  21. ^ Errington, Elizabeth. "Masson archive Vol. 2 (1).pdf": 36. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  22. JSTOR 24240815
    .
  23. ^ Vanleene, Alexandra. "The Geography of Gandhara Art" (PDF): 154. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  24. ^ Vanleene, Alexandra. "The Geography of Gandhara Art" (PDF): 150. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  25. ^ Vanleene, Alexandra. "The Geography of Gandhara Art" (PDF): 150. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  26. ^ a b Tarzi, Zémaryalai. "Le site ruiné de Hadda". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
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