AFGHANISTAN: ANCIENT FRESCOES DISCOVERED

Adnkronos International ^ | July 21, 2005 | Staff

[WmShirerAdmirer]

AFGHANISTAN: ANCIENT FRESCOES DISCOVERED Tokyo, 21 July (AKI) - A Japanese research team has uncovered an ancient Buddhist fresco in the valley of Bamiyan, the site where the Taliban regime destroyed two gigantic statues of Buddha in March 2001.

The fresco was found in a cave that was overlooked in the Taliban's destructive campaign against 'pagan symbols'. The cave is situated in the western part of the Bamiyan Valley, according to officials at Japan's National Institute for Research for Cultural Heritage.

Even though some of the murals are covered in dust, initial exploration indicates that they cover both sides of a cave which is two metres high and three metres long. One of the frescoes shows the figure of Buddha, while the others depict various seated Buddhist divinities.

The style of the drawings indicates that they date from the 17th to 18th centuries.

The Valley of Bamiyan was home to the two priceless giant statues of Buddha - one 38 metres high and 1800 years old, the other 53 metres high and 1500 years old - that, despite numerous appeals from the international community, were demolished by the Taliban in March 2001. In 2003, UNESCO declared the area a world heritage site.

[WmShirerAdmirer]

Alas, something of Afghanistan's cultural past still remains inspite of the Taliban.

[Rebelbase]

Marco Polo described those statues the Taliban shelled when he passed through there 800 years or so ago.

[asp1]

I am really glad to hear this. When the Taliban destroyed the two giant statues I thought they were not only murderers, but the worst barbarians as well.

[TommyDale]

Al fresco?

[ValerieUSA]

.....despite numerous appeals from the international community, were demolished by the Taliban in March 2001. In 2003, UNESCO declared the area a world heritage site.

Goes the show the value of the "international community" and UN.
Did the international community also plea for the human rights of women living in Afghanistan under Talibal brutality?

[Brilliant]

Now that they know it's there, it will be gone shortly.

[ValerieUSA]

Taliban

[AD from SpringBay]

Remember boys and girls - no matter what the muslims desecrate it doesn't compare to the horror of what happened to Baghdad's museum when the evil United States military removed Saddam from power.

[FReepaholic]

I gotta get my glasses fixed. I thought it said ancient "Frescas"...

[Prince Caspian]

Wow. I didn't even know they had soft drinks back then, not to mention Fresca.

[WmShirerAdmirer]

Didn't know this, thanks.

[WmShirerAdmirer]

You are so right.

When UNESCO declared it in 2003 a world heritage site, it must have seem like a big joke, since at that time there were no cultural or heritage antiquities left.

[injin]

many Buddhists in the world have not forgotten the grievous cultural atrocity perpetrated at Bamiyan....
It follows centuries of pointed Islamic persecution of Buddhists since they first rode into India in the 900's.
Untold numbers have fallen to the moslem blades.
Most Buddhists just take it as a sign of the temporalness of all things , other Buddhists deeply hope that the same temporality will encompass and one day forever remove the evil
arrogance of Islam from this world.

[Conservative Firster]

"...the site where the Taliban regime destroyed two gigantic statues of Buddha in March 2001."

This was right before 9/11. I guess destroying Buddha statues really does bring bad karma(for the Taliban).

[Skeeve14]

As we are seeing in Southern Thailand. The cycle continues..

[Go Gordon]

AFGHANISTAN: ANCIENT FRESCOES DISCOVERED

I havenb't had a Fresco in 20 years. Didn't know they still made it. great summer refreshment.

[Archon of the East]

Soon to be destroyed as was the Great Library at Alexandria by the peace living Muslims.

[CarrotAndStick]

The dark outlines represent India's present-day boundaries.

[injin]

Interesting maps , thanks !
All of this , and more , was overrun by the consecutive waves
of Islamic hordes . Hindus were subjugated , but the most heinous treatment was reserved for Buddhists ,who were seen by people with the exact same mindset of the mullahs and imams of today , as being atheistic . Worse than the Hindus . They were killed without mercy , monks and nuns were not spared . All Buddhist holy sites were first burned and then even the bricks dismantled . Buddhism itself fled the land of its birth . Fled Islam . This was great for South East Asia and Tibet , but bad for India and bad for the Land of the Buddha. Moslems didn't care then and they don't care now . They all all about themselves and their beliefs and those that don't go along with them are to be killed. How can we NOT wage a world war against this ideology and mindset .
Is nearly 2000 years of bloody history not enough evidence that Islam is incompatible with the planet and all its' residents? I wonder....

[ApplegateRanch]

Allahu-fubar!

This is Western lies and a Zionist plot to discredit the zealouness of our Taliban Brothers, by making them look inept. Rest assured, they totally destroyed ALL forbidden non-Islamic cultic insults to Allah in Afghanistan!

Do not listen to the lies of the Joooos and Crusaders!

These mosaics do not exist, and every good Muslim, Allah willing, is duty bound to kill anyone barring the way to where they don't exist; blow up the walls they don't exist on, and seal the caves they don't exist in, forever.

(ss) Ossama, Sheik of Rattlenroll
(ss) Omar, Grand High Poobah Mullah