Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
cm Assignment
Topic: visit to Taxila A
Submitted to:
Dr.
Contents
Contents.................................................................................................................. 2
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TAXILA CITY
Introduction:
The Taxila is the famous archaeological site of Pakistan dating back 600 BCE to 500 CE. It contains the ruins of Gandhara city. In 1980, Taxila was declared as UNESCO world heritage site with multiple locations. The word Taxila is derived from the word Takshashila, which means the city of cut stones. Takshashila was the ancient city of Pakistan. It is reputed to derive its name rom Taksa who was the son of Baharata, brother of Rama and Mandori. Taxila was discovered i 1911-1922 by Sir. John Marshall, who has been regarded as the discoverer of many other archaeological sites including civilization of Moen-jo-Daro and Harappa. It includes various related buildings, fortifications settlements and monasteries that show archaeological influence of different centuries and periods like Greek and Roman. It is also called as Buddhist training centre between 5th century BC through the 2nd century AD. According to Dr. Ahmad Hassan Dani: Taxila means the hill capital of serpent king
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Location:
Taxila is a Tehsil in Rawalpindi and it s located in Punjab province and it is about 35km far from Islamabad on the grand trunk road to Peshawar. It is about 549 meters (1-801ft) above the sea level.
History:
Taxila is known as from references in Indian Greco Roman remains and literary source and xvang zang. The old name of Taxila was Takshashila, The city of cut stones or rock of Taksa. According to Indian epic Ramayana and Bharata Taksa was the younger brother of Rama, an incarnation of Hindu god Vishnu. The city was named for Bharatas son Taksa, who was the first ruler. Buddhist literature especially the Jatakas, mention it as the capital of kingdom Gandhara and was considered as a great centre for learning. Gandhara is also mentioned as satrapi in the inscriptions of Achaeminids king Darius in the 5 th century BCE. After Achaeminids, Alexander The great invaded India in 326 BCE. Ambhi (Omphis) the ruler of Taxila surrender the Taxila and placed his resources at Alexanders deposal. After the death of Alexander Taxila was then ruled by Mauryan dynasty and its founder was Raja Chander Gupta Maurya. After three generations after Asoka the city was ruled by Indo Greeks or Indo Bactrians until the 1st century BCE. During the Parthian period Eposide Thomas visited Taxila and then it was visited by others like Neo-Pythagoreans, sage, Apollonius of Tyana, in the 1st century. Taxila was then taken from the Parthian by Kushan. At this time its ruler was Kujula Kadphises. In the 9th century CE the Sasanian king Shapur (309-379) conquered Taxila as evidences are found like Sasanian copper coins.
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Excavations:
The site was first excavated by Sir Alexander Cunningham; he was a renowned archaeologist of the world and called as the father of the Indian archaeology. He excavates it in 1863-64 and 1872-73. He identified also the local site known as Sari kala with ancient Taxila. Then after him, Sir John Marshall, who in 20 years completely exposed this ancient site in 1916-17 and discovered it as Taxila in 1911-17. Sir John Marshall has been regarded as a discoverer of many archaeological sites.
TAXILLA MUSEUM
Location:
Taxila museum is about 35 km far from Islamabad on the Grand trunk road to Peshawar.
History:
It is famous for the remains of Gandhara art and most of the sites of Taxila is about 600 CEs period.
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Its northern gallery was established 1998. The objects that are displayed here are mostly found from near by sites and mostly these objects are related to Gandhara civilization. Sir John Marshall who was going to be retired from the post of director general of archaeological survey of India in 1928 but he died before its completion. After his death government of Pakistan constructed its galleries and did allot of work here.
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Dharmarajika Stupa:
Location:
It is about about 3 km far from the Taxila Museum on metalled road.
Introduction:
Its name is originated from Dharma Raja means the law of raja and it was also name of a Buddha who was the true dharma raja according Sir John Marshall.It is the largest and the earliest Buddhist Stupa in Taxila and it was constructed in the 3 rd century BC during the reign of Asoka of the Mauryan dynasty. It is also called as Chur tope. The relics of Buddha are buried over here. The entrance of the main Stupa is located in the east. The side basically divided into two parts: i. ii. The Stupa area in the south. The monastic area in the north.
The Stupa height i about 50 meters. It is circular in shape. Around the Stupa there is a path called Pradakshina patha that was used for circumambulation. The Buddhist used this path. Around the Stupa there are individual chappels where individual images of Buddha were placed and it i also called the individual Shrines. The Buddhist used to worship these images.
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Excavations:
When this area was excavated a silver scroll inscription in kharoshti and a small gold casket containing some minute Buddha relics were found there during excavation. Several coins of Indo-Greeks king Zoilos 2 were found under the foundation of Stupa. Antiquities were also found from main chappels around the Stupa and these antiquities mainly come from highest stratum and consist mainly of stucco and terracotta figures and in the south west corner there are some remains of platform, sealing, were found there. Such seals are found embedded in the ancient Buddhist Stupa and statues.
Conclusion:
In this visit I know about the most important archaeological sites of Taxila. Taxila is one of the important and significant archaeological sites of Pakistan. Taxila is mostly consisting of Gandhara civilization and Art. It was the main centre of Buddhism for learning. In Taxila museum I see the Gandhara art and other displayed things and know about the importance of Gandhara art.
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Bibliography:
Dani, Hassan, Ahmed. A Guide to Taxila. Khan, GR. Kanishka coins from Taxila in Gandhara. Journal of Asian Civilization. Department of Archaeology Peshawar. Published in 2004.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxila en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharmarajika
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