THE BUDDHIST CULT COMPLEX OF KARATEPA

The Buddhist cult complex of Karatepa "black hill" (2-4 centuries AD), covering a surface of 7 hectares. As a result of excavations it has been established that a major Buddhist religious centre existed on the Kara-tepe hill in the periphery of the vast town-site of Old Termez.

The site is formed some outdoor constructions, which contained a stupa (Buddhist religious building) together with several caves dug in the hill. The walls of the vihar preserved many inscriptions in various languages-Syriac, Arabic, Bactrian, etc. The complex included more than 30 temples and several temple-monastery complexes, with structures made of cave rooms cut in sandstone mounds; as well as surface buildings made of pahsa and unbaked brick with courtyards and gallery around the perimeter. The excavation of the Buddhist site unearthed by A. Strelkov in 1928, who examined three caves and suggested that these were the remains of a Buddhist cave monastery. Karatepa is a unique monument of the culture and art.

1. It is one of the few Central Asian monuments of the Kushan period.

2. It is the earliest, or at least one of the earliest, Buddhist monuments in the vast region.

3. It is the only known Buddhist cave monastery.

In ancient times, there was an important caravan route from the areas of modern Afghanistan and northern India to the Central Asian interfluve and then to East Turkestan and China. The city was located on one of the busiest sections of this route-on the road from Balkh, the capital of ancient Bactria, to Samarkand, the political and cultural center of Sogdiana (Sogda). An unusual (most likely cult) purpose of the buildings in Karatepa is also evidenced by the composition of the ceramics found here. Of the outstanding value of this Buddhist centre in the Kushan Empire remains one of the discovered label name — "KaDeWe-ka Vihara" ("the Royal monastery"), another mention of "Vihara Guevara". The Buddhist-monastic character of the buildings in Karatepa is evidenced by the finds of fragments of Buddhist ganch statues, and various images of lotus flowers, and in some ground buildings fragments of frescoes have been preserved. One of these drawings depicts a Buddha who overcame all earthly temptations, such as pride, revenge, bitterness, and managed to reach the seventh stage of dhyana. The fact that a Buddhist monastery was located in Karatepa is indicated by Indian inscriptions on clay vessels that were intended as a gift to the sacred reservoir (kunda) and directly to the Buddhist monastery or monastic community (sanga). It is likely that the monastery belonged to the followers of a certain Buddhist sect-kashyavnna, or kashyasa.

In accordance with the terrain, there were several dozen large cave complexes. Materials from Karatepa confirm the above information of Buddhist texts about the assimilation and spread of Buddhism by the Bactrians (Tochars). The very fact of the existence of a large monastery in Termez, the finds of clay vessels with gift inscriptions in Sanskrit and Kushan script-speak about the assimilation of the local people of the religion of Buddhism, Indian writing and language. The specific layout of the monastery buildings (the widespread use of shrines with three and four bypass corridors) indicates the contribution of local Buddhists to the development of Buddhist architecture.

Excavations on the northern hill of Karatepa revealed a large ground monastery, which has a layout traditional for Buddhist monasteries of the Kushan period: each temple was actually a closed premise framed on all the four sides by corridors with two exits leading to the courtyard. Along the northern and eastern corridors were the monks’ cells. The main sanctuary was probably on the south side of the courtyard. On the north side of the monastery is adjacent stupa. Initially, it had a circular layout. The stupa was built no later than the second century AD and is one of the earliest monumental structures on the northern hill. A rectangular platform is built of mud bricks, which includes this stupa. Judging by the fragments of stone decoration found, the stupa was originally richly decorated. The layout of the studied areas of the Karatepa monastery meets the standards of a closed monastic life. At the same time, by its very location, it was accessible to the Buddhists of Termez, and Buddhist pilgrims and merchants who arrived from beyond the Amu Darya, who could immediately go from the pier to the hostel, which was located, apparently, on the very top of the hill.

Later, the yard underwent significant changes. Ayvan was added in the courtyard. On the south side of the courtyard was an elevated building, built in the western part on the leveled surface of the sandstone rock of the hill, and on the east side-stood on an artificial platform, which was composed of mud masonry, sunk in the sand on the slope of the hill. The walls of the building were mostly made of large square raw bricks. The aboveground structure was small in size. From the courtyard to the entrance to the central room led a pavement of flat white slabs of marly limestone, and at the entrance was built a threshold made of five blocks. These blocks were originally marked with a black outline of lotus flowers. Later, the entire threshold was painted red. The walls and floor of the central room were painted in the same color. In its original form, this room was close to a square with sides of 4.5 m. The entrance to it was located in the middle of the north wall and was equipped with two wooden doors. In the paintings of the monastery there were also plot images. The remains of a multi-figure scene were found in the lower part of one of the walls-probably a group of noble Buddhist gift-bearers.

Summarizing the current data on Karatepa, we can draw the following conclusions:

1. On Karatepa there is an architectural complex of an ancient Buddhist monastery, the premises of which were located both on the surface and in caves.

2. The superstructure Karatepa built of raw brick, a cave carved in the Sandstone.

3. The number of cave and ground structures of Karatep was large – it was one of the largest centers of Buddhism in the region, which includes the territories of former Bactria and Sogdiana.

4. According to their plans, the temples of Karatepa are similar to the Buddhist temples of Afghanistan and Xinjiang. However, in Karatepa, in the plans of the six temples known to us, despite the common features, there are also a number of deviations from the canons. Therefore, it is possible that the Karatepa caves were cut down before the construction of the Buddhist monastery and were previously temples of other religions.

5. The complex of ground and cave rooms of Karatepa, dating back to the Kushan era, should be classified as a monument of Buddhism also because fragments of wall paintings similar to the Buddhist monasteries of Afghanistan and Xinjiang were found here.

The complex cannot be included in the ten Buddhist monasteries of Termez described by Xuanzang in the sixth century AD. By this time, the Karatepa monastery had been in ruins for several centuries. Destroyed by the earthquake, it has undoubtedly been preserved in some parts undisturbed. The findings in Karatepa open up new aspects in the study of the ancient history of Central Asia, as well as its relations with India, China and Iran at the crossroads of caravan routes, where the Termez oasis is located.

METHODOLOGICAL RECOMMENDATIONS:

1. The guide should check the presence of the names of all tourists in the document (special permission) before the trip.

2. The object is located near the state border, so it is necessary to warn the group about the observance of discipline in the border zone.

3. The guide should inform the group to use trekking shoes before inspection of the archaeological site.

4. The group must be guided strictly along the recommended route.

5. The guide should provide all information about Buddhism and the time of construction of surface buildings and underground monasteries.

6. Use the method of comparison and demonstration of exhibits from the "Guide's Portfolio".

7. The work of the guide should consist of 35-45 minutes.

8. Tourists are given at least 20 minutes for independent inspection and photography.

Compiled by: Abilov M., a guide of the second category.

Translated by: Azarenko E., a guide of the first category. 

Tourism development institute under the State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Tourism Development

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