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. |
