Aziz Dheri

high-definition creative commons photographs from Aziz Dheri, Pakistan together with further information.

 

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Aziz Dheri is an important site in the Swabi District near Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The site is about 33km east of Mardan. It was first rediscovered in 1976, but the first excavations took place only in 1993, and again in 2004 and 2007/8. Unfortunately in between time treasure hunters greatly disturbed the site and made off with some of the most valuable finds, and left it more difficult to properly excavate.

There are a number of Buddhist stūpas at the site, which though not large, are significant. A great deal of materials were recovered from this site including statues, coins – especially a hoard of Kushan coins – seals, pots and postherd, beads and cowry shells. There are also the remains of fresco paintings at the site, but they are still covered up, and not visible to the casual visitor.

The site appears to date from the post-Mauryan period, and was occupied up and till the Islamic period. Some of the work at the site, which shows some of its findings also can be found in a paper by M Nasim Khan, entitled Excavations at Aziz Dheri, A Stūpa Settlement Site in Ancient Gandhāra, Glimpses from Field campaigns 1993 and 2007/08.

 

Satellite View of the Site

Satellite View of the Site

001 Viewing the Site

01 Viewing the Site

002 Stupa with Illegal House built on Site

02 Stupa with Illegal House built on Site

003 The Foundation Stones

03 The Foundation Stones

004 Wall and Remains of a Room

04 Wall and Remains of a Room

005 Excavated Walls

05 Excavated Walls

006 Remains of a Building

06 Remains of a Building

007 Building and Materials

07 Building and Materials

008 Walls and Rooms

08 Walls and Rooms

009 Rounded Wall

09 Rounded Wall

010 Red Silk Cotton Tree

10 Red Silk Cotton Tree

011 Depth of Excavation

11 Depth of Excavation

012 Main Stupa

12 Main Stupa

013 Leow Chai Yee at the Main Site

13 Leow Chai Yee at the Main Site

014 Main Stupa

14 Main Stupa

015 Secondary Stupa

15 Secondary Stupa

016 Excavation Wall

16 Excavation Wall

017 Site with Fields in Background

17 Site with Fields in Background

018 Site and Fence

18 Site and Fence

019 The Site with Mountains in the Background

19 The Site with Mountains in the Background

020 Excavation Site

20 Excavation Site

021 Depth of the Excavation

21 Depth of the Excavation

022 Inside Protected Area

22 Inside Protected Area

 

Photographs by Leow Chai Yee
Edited and Described by Ānandajoti Bhikkhu

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