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5 unusual facts about Rawak Stupa


Rawak Stupa

The Rawak Stupa exemplifies a development from the stupa on a square base that emerges in and is seen elsewhere in the region, such as at Niya, to one on a cruciform-shaped base owing to the addition of staircases protruding out from the base on each side.

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The form follows a scriptural description found in the Divyavadana, that describes a stupa as having four staircases, three platforms and an egg-like dome, as well as the other usual elements.

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1929: The Chinese archaeologist Huang Wenbi, who was part of the Sino-Swedish expedition under the leadership of Sven Hedin, made a short visit to Rawak.

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1906: Stein revisited on his second expedition in September 1906.

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In 1930, the Metropolitan Museum of Art acquired part of the Central Asian collection brought back by Trinkler, including some items from Rawak (e.g. a statue head with Hellenistic features. The rest of the material is now in Bremen, Germany.).



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