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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.

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.

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.

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

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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