Afghanistan 1969-1974 -

Afghanistan 1969-1974

Museum Kabul : Surya aus Khair Khaneh auf einem von zwei Pferden gezogenen Wagen, mit seinen Begleitern Danda und Pingala. Weißer Marmor, H. ca. 32 cm.
Photo : Thewalt 1969

[ Vgl. Francine Tissot 2006, Catalogue of the National Museum of Afghanistan 1931-1985,
UNESCO publishing 2006, Paris, p. 355:
T.Sh.p. KK. 929.1. K.M. inv. no. 63-21-1. H 0.32m
White marble. MIZ, fig. 176; ROW, 71, fig. 165; DUP, fig. 46; MIY, fig. 251.
Small group, probably an offering to the gods in the temple. Here, the Indian god Surya, on a chariot drawn by two horses, with his companions, Danda and Pingala.

Khai Khana (Kabul province)
The site of Khair Khana is situated some 12 km north of Kabul, at the pass leading to Kapisa and the Hindu Kush mountains. As early as 1934 Jean Carl had found two large buildings that, to his expert eye, were not Buddhist monasteries. They were understood to be Hindu temples of a late period (seventh century AD). The remains were meagre but nevertheless opened up new directions for further research.
In 1980, during the last war, a Soviet soldier accidentally came upon a superb figure of the Hindu god Surya, in very good condition. It was immediately taken to the Kabul Museum. Unfortunately, it was stolen during the tragic events of 1993.

Bibliography

P. Bernard and F. Grenet, 1981, Stl, 10, 1, pp. 127-46.

J. Hackin and J. Carl, 1936, MDAFA, VII.