A Historical and Archaeological Study on the Kushan Dynasty

In these three years, I could travel abroad several times to gather new materials on the Kushan Dynasty and to participate in the international conferences. On the point of view of the Kushan history, I discussed the date of the colossal Buddhas at Bamiyan, Afghanistan, and in the process of investigation, I have noticed a new type of scrolls extant on the wall paintings of the 55m Buddha, regretfully blown up by the Taliban forces on March 2002. It was a vine scroll with leaves in loops, classical in style, derived from Gandhara art. The contour fines nearly had faded away and so its significance has been overlooked. It is this painting scroll that was contemporary with the construction of the colossal Buddhas. The modeling scrolls well known before at the Bamiyan might be additional decorations at the restorations of caves. The crowned prices represented on the wall of the 35m Buddha might be identified with a Kidara Kushan king and his family, who must be the patrons of Bamiyan Buddhism ca. 400 AD.