Thread by @satyaagrahindia

2016 | This #silver rhyton discovered at #Deylaman, Northern #Iran. The inscription as well as leading art #historians identify the #artefact as representing #Durga #Mahishasuramardini

Interestingly, it gives new insights into the high-quality production of silver icons

Its provenance is taken to be in Eastern #Afghanistan It was looted during the #Arab #Muslim raids on #Shahi and #Zunbil kingdoms of South Eastern Afghanistan in the latter half of seventh century. Its provenance beyond the #Hindu Kush is not surprising as #archaeology attests to

Its provenance is taken to be in Eastern #Afghanistan It was looted during the #Arab #Muslim raids on #Shahi and #Zunbil kingdoms of South Eastern Afghanistan in the latter half of seventh century. Its provenance beyond the #Hindu Kush is not surprising as #archaeology attests to

Many other Durga Mahishamardini figurines (of primarily marble) dating from c.400CE to c.800CE have been discovered from South-Eastern Afghanistan. Kabul valley was strongly Hindu in religion during the Pre Islamic age.

A 2000 year old head of Durga excavated in Afghanistan in 1960s | #Durga from #TapaSardar is a telling case, although with differences imposed by different media, colossal clay image of Durga from Tapa Sardar follows the same model as more or less coeval marble Durga from Gardez

A 5th-century marble #Ganesha found in Gardez, #Afghanistan, now at Dargah Pir Rattan Nath, #Kabul. The inscription says that this "great and beautiful image of Mahāvināyaka" was consecrated by the #Hindu Shahi King #Khingala

Ref | Dhavalikar, MK, "Gaņeśa: Myth and Reality"

Before the Islamic conquest of #Afghanistan, the territory was a religious sediment of Zoroastrianism, #Zunbils, #Hinduism and #Buddhism. It was inhabited by various peoples, including #Persians, #Khalaj, #Turks, and #Pashtuns

When Sultan #Mahmud of #Ghazni began crossing the #Indus River into #Hindustan (land of Hindus) in the 10th century, the #Ghaznavid Muslims began bringing #Hindu slaves to what is now #Afghanistan.

Martin Ewans Ref | Afghanistan: A New History, by Martin Ewans Edition: 2