1. Home
  2. Blog
  3. UPSC

Discovery of 2000-Year-Old Copper Coins at Mohenjo Daro


Why is it in the news?

  • Archaeologists in Pakistan discovered a cache of 2000-year-old copper coins at the historic site of Mohenjo Daro.

More about the news

  • The coins are believed to be from the ruins of a Buddhist shrine of the Kushan Empire at Mohenjo Daro.
  • The Kushan Empire, ruling from the 2nd century B.C. to the 3rd century A.D., conquered the Greco-Bactrian kingdom established by Alexander the Great in Central Asia.
  • These coins are the first artifacts found at the stupa’s ruins since 1931.
  • The coins resemble earlier discoveries from the 1920s and 1930s, depicting a standing figure and featuring representations of Hindu god Shiva on the reverse side.
  • Reflects the syncretism of Buddhist beliefs with Hindu origins.

 

About Mohenjo Daro (Mound of the Dead)

·       Built in the 3rd millennium B.C., it is part of the Indus Valley Civilization and located in the Larkana district of Sindh, Pakistan.

·       One of the largest sites of the Indus Valley Civilization.

·       Discovered by archaeologists Rakhaldas Banerji and Sir John Marshall.

·       Notable features include the Great Bath, Great Granary, assembly hall, temple-like structure, and a bust of a bearded man.

·       Divided into a citadel and lower city.

·       UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site in 1980.

·       The city was once part of the Harappan civilization and abandoned around 1800 BC, possibly due to climate change.

·       The Buddhist stupa at Mohenjo Daro was constructed around 150 AD during the Kushan Empire’s rule.

 

Buddhism

·       Buddhism originated in the 6th century BC in ancient India.

·       The Gandhara region (modern Pakistan and Afghanistan) became a prominent centre for Buddhist art and culture during the Kushan Empire’s rule.

·       Taxila, an ancient city in Pakistan, was a hub of Buddhist learning and housed one of the world’s oldest universities.

·       The Silk Road facilitated the exchange of Buddhist ideas and artifacts.

·       The Kushan Empire fragmented into independent kingdoms, facing conquests by the Sasanian Persians and northern invaders, possibly associated with the Huns.


Get free UPSC Updates straight to your inbox!

Get Updates on New Notification about APPSC, TSPSC and UPSC

Get Current Affairs Updates Directly into your Inbox

Discover more from AMIGOS IAS

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading