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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.


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