ARCHEOLOGY AND THE CULTURES OF GANDHARA AND THE SILK ROADS

The course is part of the curriculum on cultures and history and South and Central Asia. However, being the topic basically archaeology, fine art and material culture of the so-called "Hellenistic Far East", the course can be linked to the Classics curricula.
The course wished to introduce the students to the problems of archaeology, fine art and material culture from Afghanistan to South and Central Asia from BCE 600 to 1000 CE. The course will have a focus on the early-historic to post-Kushan phases of the Gandharan region (modern Pakistan) (c. 150 BCE- 650 CE).
[The course pairs well with LM2580].

A good understanding of the history and historical geography of the region. A fair knowledge of the major sites and excavations, as well of the major research themes with a focus on Gandharan art.
A good understanding of the thematics discussed and related methodologies.

Not necessary. A basic knowledge of South/Central Asia (a) ancient history, (b) fine art and architecture, and (c) archaeological methods, is though preferred. Supplementary material and tutorship can be provided to the students who need specific help on that regard.
Students are strongly encouraged to also follow the related DM270 History and Civilisation of the Greeks (DSU).

General ancient geography of the area.
General chronologies for the period considered in a broad sense (approx. 600 BC to 1000 AD).
Monographic subject course: South Asia, c. 500 BCE-100 CE: shrines of local cults and Buddhist appropriation

Topics in the archaeology of religions.1: Buddhist shrines.
The construction of a stupa: from the quarries to the elevation. organisation of the construction site, the workers, the client.
Case study: Saidu Sharif I
Topics in archaeology of religions.2: dynastic sanctuaries.
Case study: Surkh Kotal
Topics in archaeology of religions.3: the Shahi temples
Case study: Barikot, Zalam-kot
Ancient economy: agricultural production and the role of Buddhist monasteries
Case study: The double-crop regions
Themes in the history of Gandharan art: models, contamination and emulation between India and the Mediterranean
Case study: The Frieze of the Master of Saidu

Monographic subject course: Robert DeCaroli, Haunting the Buddha. Indian Popular Religions and the Formation of Buddhism, Oxford University Press: New York, 2004 (see archive.org)

Reference texts:

1) Ciro Lo Muzio (2017) Archeologia dell’Asia Centrale preislamica. Mondadori Università, Milano (ISBN: 9788861844124): Chapters 3, 5, 7 [BAUM: ARCHEO (931 ASIA 125)].
2) Luca M. Olivieri (2022) The Archaeology of Gandhāra. Oxford Research Encyclopaedias: Anthropology https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190854584.013.545 (vedi Moodle)
3) Cinzia Pieruccini (2020) L'arte dell'India.1 Dalle origini ai grandi templi medievali, Einaudi, Torino (ISBN: 9788806245955): Chapters II.1, 7-8, III.3-4, IV.1-2, , VI.4

Readings by topic:

Main readings for the seminars:
Seminars 1-2) Luca M. Olivieri (2022) Stoneyards and artists in Gandhara. The Buddhist stupa of Saidu Sharif I, Swat (c. 50) (selected Chapters) (open access)
Seminar 2) Anna Filigenzi (2006) From Saidu to Miran, Indologica Taurinensia, XXXII, pp. 67-89 (open access)
Henri-Paul Francfort (2014) Les peintures de Mirān et l’art de l’Asie centrale, Monuments et Mémoires de la Foundation Eugène Piot, 93, pp. 23-64 (open access)
Seminar 3) Luca M. Olivieri, F. Sinisi (2021) The stele and other statues. A stone puzzle from Surkh Kotal, East and West 2(61), pp. 115-161. Daniel Schlumberger (1961) The Excavations at Surkh Kotal and the Problem of Hellenism in Bactria and India. Proceedings of the British Academy (open access)
Seminar 4) Luca M. Olivieri (2022) The temples of Swat. The Śāhi archaeological landscape of Barikot. In H.P. Ray et al. (eds.) The Routledge Handbook of Hindu Temples Materiality, Social History and Practice. London: Routledge India, pp. 251-276 (pre-print available on Moodle)
Luca M. Olivieri et al. (2025) Vajirasthāna. The Archaeology of the Barikot Hilltop, Sang-e-Meel Publishers, Lahore (3 vols.) (selected Chapters) (open access)
Seminar 5) Luca M. Olivieri (2022) The Swat routes, new perspectives. In X. Liu (ed.) The World of the Ancient Silk Road. New York: Routledge, pp. 354-377 (pre-print available on Moodle); Luca M. Olivieri (2025) Double-crop Pocket Zones and Empires: The Case of Swat. In Lara Fabian et al. (eds.) Economies of the Edge: Frontier Zone Processes at Regional, Imperial, and Global Scales (300 BCE – 300 CE). Heidelberg: Heidelberg University Publishing, pp. 45–80 (open access)
Handbook for Gandharan art cataloguing test:
Faccenna, D., A. Filigenzi (2007) REPERTORY OF TERMS FOR CATALOGUING GANDHARAN SCULPTURES BASED ON MATERIALS FROM THE ITALIAN ARCHAEOLOGICAL MISSION IN SWAT, PAKISTAN. IsIAORepMem: Rome. (in Italian and English) (available on Moodle)

The last part of every class will be devoted to actively discuss the main topics so to test the understanding of the subject-matter.
Individual material cataloguing and study exercises will be conducted on materials provided by the teacher.
Before the exam, the candidate will present a short (in English or Italian) research essay on a topic selected by the candidate that references and cites the texts we have studied.
The exam consists of three parts:
- participation in the 5 seminar activities (30% of the final grade);
- individual essay (expected average: 3000 words). The selected topic will be agreed upon with the lecturer. The essay (.doc) should be sent to the lecturer through Moodle at least two weeks before the day of the oral exam (60% of the final grade);
- discussion of the essay (10% of the final grade).
Before the exam, students will be requested to complete two class assigmnents: 1) a questionnaire; b) an exercise in cataloguing Gandharan art material. These assignments will be completed during the last two classes.
Seminar lessons will be held on 5 topics (each lasting two lessons). At the end, a short written summary will be requested (asynchronous mode). These summaries will be corrected individually by the teacher as they are submitted.

oral

The final assessment is graded as follows: 18-22 (sufficient ability to orient oneself with respect to the chronology and geography of the areas of study, submission of a paper of a generic nature of less than 2000 words with sufficient bibliography); 23-25 (good general knowledge and ability to study specific areas of study in depth, submission of a paper on a specific topic of more than 2000 words with basic bibliography); 26-29 (excellent general knowledge and ability to produce original in-depth studies on one or more topics related to the area of study submission of a related paper of more than 4000 words with basic bibliography); 30-30L (more than excellent general knowledge and ability to produce innovative insights on one or more topics related to the study area; submission of a related paper of more than 4500 words with bibliography updated to the most recent research).

Eight lectures will be accompanied by images and texts in PowerPoint presentations, which will be made available before each class on Moodle. The PowerPoint texts may be in English.
One exercise involving cataloguing and studying materials from the documentation available online and from the photographic archive of the Italian Archaeological Mission in Pakistan.
One mid-term or final test with open and multiple-choice questions.
Five seminars.
Before the exam, the candidate will present a short (max. 5000 words in English or Italian) research essay on a topic selected by the candidate that references and cites the texts we have studied.
With the help of the teacher, the most original papers may be transformed into a research note or short article to be published in English in a specialised journal.
The possibility of participating in the fieldwork of the Italian Archaeological Mission in Pakistan (Swat Valley: https://www.unive.it/pag/32771/ ) can be considered.

Tutorship in English is available

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Cities, infrastructure and social capital" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development