Fall 2006

ANS 384 • Gandharan Art

Course Description

One of the early centers of Buddhist activity in India was located in Gandhara, a region today comprised of parts of northwest India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. The region witnessed important innovations in Buddhist texts and art; for instance, Buddha images had long been thought to first appear here. When Buddhist practice was most intense, the region was also important economically and politically. At this time-- first through fifth centuries of the common era-- Gandhara was a major link between the Mediterranean world and China. Although the art of Gandhara has been extensively studied, many basic questions remain unanswered. The emphasis of this seminar will be upon how the region has been studied in order to develop new approaches to this important but confusing material.

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