Afghanistan Has Ancient Buddhist Monuments Destroyed
At a glance:
- Series: Great Events: 1900-2001
- Categories: Government and Politics, Religion, Ethics
- Subcategories: Civil Rights, Minority Rights, Minorities, Buddhism, Buddhists
- Curriculum: Asian History, Middle Eastern History
- Geographical Location: Afghanistan, South Asia
- Date: March, 2001
Article abstract: The Taliban, the ruling force in Afghanistan, destroyed two massive, sixth century Buddhist statues in Bamiyan Valley, citing religious reasons.
History of the Statues
Buddhism is a world religion that originated in northern India (to the east of Afghanistan) about 2,500 years ago. Eventually, it spread as far west as Afghanistan, where Buddhist kingdoms flourished. The royal capital of one of these kingdoms, the Bamiyan, was in a valley just more than 90 miles (145 kilometers) west of modern Kabul. At the height of the Bamiyan...
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