The archaeological sites that are centered around Lumbini, Nepal, are unique because of their connections with the birth and life of the Lord Gautama Buddha. Up until the 1990s there had only been minor disturbances to some of the famous sites. However, with growing interest in Buddhism, the creation of a major pilgrimage centre at Lumbini and the uncontrolled development taking place in Nepal, the condition and the environment of these sites could change adversely in a very short space of time.
Over time, the overland Silk Road and the maritime ‘Spice Road’ both played important roles in the transfer and enrichment of art forms in the regions through they traversed and connected. The development of Buddhist art provides clear evidence of the development of Asian art during this time. Buddhist art started in India and was modified in Central Asia and the Southeast Asian regions.
200 miles north of Karachi lie the remains of the ancient city of Mohenjo-daro, one of the most striking monuments from the dawn of civilisation. Populated from 2500 – 1500 BC, but then abandoned, it was only rediscovered in 1921. However, two serious problems face these magnificent ruins: they are being eroded by the Indus River, and they are being corroded by the salt being brought to the surface as the water table rises dramatically. In fact, since the construction of the Sukkur dam in 1932, the water table has risen by about 13 feet.
During the last 1,000 years, the vast and highly diverse area that stretches from the Mediterranean across to Sind in Pakistan has been an extraordinary melting pot of cultural and aesthetic diversity. Islam embraced this diversity and translated it into cultural dialogues, which the development of the silk routes facilitated.
It is well known that an evolved network of trade routes criss-crossed pre-Islamic Anatolia in the Seljuk era (11th -13th century AD), running from North to South, and from the Aegean towards the Far East. However, less is known about where travellers stayed and in what conditions. During the 12th century, leaders in the region invested in making the transport of merchandise and people as safe as possible and built approximately 30 caravanserais (also known as Khans or Ribats) in Anatolia before 1243.
The trade and subsequent cultural contact between the Indian subcontinent and South Asian countries led to India having a very profound influence on politics, religion, culture and society in the region. Scholars refer to this phenomenon as “Indianisation “ or the “Indianised States of Southeast Asia”.
The spread and influence of Buddhism via the early trade routes throughout Southeast Asia was surprisingly pervasive, particularly in Thailand and Indonesia, where there were close interactions between Buddhist establishments and trading groups. Excavated objects of Indian origin that feature a range of classic Buddhist symbolism include pottery, ornaments, ivory objects, carnelian, and terracotta seals. From the 2nd century B.C.
Islam was introduced in Java by missionaries travelling along the maritime Silk Road. It was influenced by Sufism and integrated elements of earlier Indonesian beliefs. In coastal areas of Java, the encounter between local culture and foreign influences, which reached the area through overseas merchants, led to the emergence of new ornamental designs on artefacts and buildings. In mosques, tombs and palaces along the North Javanese coast, a large variety of ornamental designs were found, such as floral, animal and geometric patterns.
The mural paintings in Ajanta constitute a unique example of ancient Buddhist art in Asia. They are the only well preserved mural paintings from this era in India. These paintings from the Gupta period had an important impact on the arts in the rest of India and Sri Lanka. Furthermore, the Indian pictorial tradition spread to the Northeast, East and Southeast Asia via the Silk Road. In the Himalaya, the Ajanta style had a very significant influence on Buddhist art.
Along the “Grand Route”, an ancient caravan route which used to link the Kashmir region to Nepal and Tibet across the Himalaya, a large number of monasteries and temples can be found. The numerous religious artworks in the area are rooted in diverse traditions. Various Buddhist and Hindi representations of deities can for instance be traced to prototypes from the prehistoric Harappan culture in the Indus valley.
