Where is Hadda, Afghanistan located?
Hadda is located ten kilometers south of Jalalabad, in the Nangarhar Province of eastern Afghanistan. It is a Greco-Buddhist archaeological site.
Questions about Hadda, Afghanistan
Short answers, pulled from the story.
How many sculptures were excavated at Hadda?
Roughly 23,000 Greco-Buddhist sculptures, made of both clay and plaster, were excavated at Hadda during the 1930s and 1970s. The works combine elements of Buddhism and Hellenism in a Hellenistic style.
What are the oldest manuscripts found near Hadda, Afghanistan?
The oldest surviving Buddhist manuscripts, and the oldest surviving Indian manuscripts of any kind, were recovered around Hadda. Written on bark in Gandhari using the Kharoshthi script, they probably date from around the 1st century CE and are now held by the British Library.
Who excavated the monasteries at Hadda?
Jules Barthoux, a member of the French Archaeological Delegation in Afghanistan, led excavations at several Hadda monasteries, including the Tapa-i Kafariha in 1926-27, the Tapa Kalan, and the Chakhil-i-Ghoundi, where remains were gathered in 1928.
What coins were found at the Tapa Tope Kalan stupa at Hadda?
Over 200 mainly silver coins were found at Tapa Tope Kalan, including Sasanian issues of Varhran IV, Yazdagird II, and Peroz I, five Roman gold solidi from the reigns of Theodosius II, Marcianus, and Leo I, and 14 Alkhon coins. The coin mix points to a mid-to-late 5th century CE date for the stupa.
What happened to the archaeological site of Hadda during the Afghan civil war?
Hadda was reported to have been almost entirely destroyed during the civil war in Afghanistan. In early 1980, three independent sources confirmed that a 2nd century BCE Buddha statue and other antiquities housed in a museum at Hadda had been destroyed.