Swat Budha historical sites for research on Buddhism

Overview

The archaeologists have discovered the most ancient Buddhist apsidal temple of Pakistan in Bazira area of Barikot tehsil in Swat. The site was discovered by archaeologists of Ca’ Foscari University and Italian Archaeological Mission in collaboration with the provincial department of archaeology and museums.

Butkara was a Buddhist holy place in Swat, ruins of a Monastery are still found here at Ta-Lo, which was mentioned by Sung Yun, who visited the area in 520 A.D. 9t was also described by the Buddhist pilgrims from China in the 5^th, 6^th and 7^th centuries A.D. It lies in the East of Mingora, the ancient capital of Udyana.

Buddhism in Swat was flourishing during the reign of Emperor Ashoka (3rd century BC). Throughout the subsequent political dominion, the Indo-Greeks, Indo-Scythians, Indo-Parthians, Kushans, Kushano-Sassanians and somewhat the Hindu Shahis profoundly left their marks on the Buddhist art and architecture.