The site

The Buddhas of Bamiyan were two colossal Buddhist reliefs carved into a cliff in Afghanistan's Bamiyan Valley, the larger reaching 55 metres and dated to around 618 CE. Expressions of Gandharan Buddhism blending classical Greco-Buddhist style, they towered over the valley for some fourteen centuries. In March 2001 the Taliban destroyed both statues; the site was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003.

Field notes

civilizations

Ancient India (Gupta)

types

Cave painting · Sanctuary

occupied

550 CE — 650 CE

country

Afghanistan