DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.36954#0023
patron. But even inscriptions in different languages may be inter-
related. In this context, the external written sources, speaking
about major powers and world-religions, must also be used as a
contextual framework.
That so far published as the historical interpretation of our ex-
peditions is mainly based on sites with such optimal conditions;
which may be recapitulated here as briefly as possible. Already
since the 1st century A. D., a route, used by merchants, Buddhist
missionaries and pilgrims, artists and political envoys of the
Kusans, existed between Kashmir and the Tarim Basin. Using
another access, traders from the lowlands reached Chilas and
founded a Buddhist sanctuary there. Not much later, an empori-
um and a sanctuary were established near Shatial, 70 km farther
west, just above the entrance of the Indus into the last gorges.
Between the 5th and the 8th century A.D. was a period of
Buddhist dominance. The main sanctuary was opposite Chilas.
Many members of the ruling elite are known by name, Buddhist
Sanskrit being used as an actual language, but many of the local
lords had Iranian or still enigmatic names. The Indus valley was
not then a part of Palur, the Buddhist kingdom which had its
centre in Baltistan, also including the Gilgit valley. The inscrip-
tions published in this book indicate that Chilas was rather a
frontier district of the Darada-kingdom, which had its capital in
the Nilum/Kishanganga valley. Apparently, the local chiefs re-
mained more or less independent. Trade between Central Asia
and North-West India brought them substantial gains, so they
accepted refugees from formerly Buddhist countries, now haunt-
ed by nomadic inroads and internal unrests. Such foreigners
were used as clerks, religious advisers and artists who had to
adapt themselves to the local medium of rock art. So it is quite
possible that late Gandhara art "hibernated" in this area be-
fore expanding for a last time to the lowlands, as proposed by
DANI.
The political events of the 8th century A.D. — namely the con-
quest of Palur by Tibetan armies and the vain attempts of the
Chinese to stop this expansion (well known from Tibetan and
Chinese annals) are not directly documented. Seemingly there is
a hiatus, and only thereafter we find a few late inscriptions
(10th or 11th century A.D.) as well as pertinent carvings.
XIX
related. In this context, the external written sources, speaking
about major powers and world-religions, must also be used as a
contextual framework.
That so far published as the historical interpretation of our ex-
peditions is mainly based on sites with such optimal conditions;
which may be recapitulated here as briefly as possible. Already
since the 1st century A. D., a route, used by merchants, Buddhist
missionaries and pilgrims, artists and political envoys of the
Kusans, existed between Kashmir and the Tarim Basin. Using
another access, traders from the lowlands reached Chilas and
founded a Buddhist sanctuary there. Not much later, an empori-
um and a sanctuary were established near Shatial, 70 km farther
west, just above the entrance of the Indus into the last gorges.
Between the 5th and the 8th century A.D. was a period of
Buddhist dominance. The main sanctuary was opposite Chilas.
Many members of the ruling elite are known by name, Buddhist
Sanskrit being used as an actual language, but many of the local
lords had Iranian or still enigmatic names. The Indus valley was
not then a part of Palur, the Buddhist kingdom which had its
centre in Baltistan, also including the Gilgit valley. The inscrip-
tions published in this book indicate that Chilas was rather a
frontier district of the Darada-kingdom, which had its capital in
the Nilum/Kishanganga valley. Apparently, the local chiefs re-
mained more or less independent. Trade between Central Asia
and North-West India brought them substantial gains, so they
accepted refugees from formerly Buddhist countries, now haunt-
ed by nomadic inroads and internal unrests. Such foreigners
were used as clerks, religious advisers and artists who had to
adapt themselves to the local medium of rock art. So it is quite
possible that late Gandhara art "hibernated" in this area be-
fore expanding for a last time to the lowlands, as proposed by
DANI.
The political events of the 8th century A.D. — namely the con-
quest of Palur by Tibetan armies and the vain attempts of the
Chinese to stop this expansion (well known from Tibetan and
Chinese annals) are not directly documented. Seemingly there is
a hiatus, and only thereafter we find a few late inscriptions
(10th or 11th century A.D.) as well as pertinent carvings.
XIX