The Mauryan horizon : an archaeological analysis of early Buddhism and the Mauryan Empire at Lumbini, Nepal
The archaeology of Buddhism in South Asia is reliant on the art historical study of monumental remains, the identification of which is tied to the textual historical sources that dominate Buddhist scholarship. The development and spread of early Buddhism from the third century BCE has been intrinsically linked with the Mauryan Emperor Asoka, and is consequently reliant on the identification of âMauryanâ remains in the archaeological record. The aim of this thesis is to test the scholarly and physical evidence for the âMauryan horizonâ that has shaped archaeological methodology in South Asia, by demonstrating challenges in the interpretation of the relationship between the Mauryan Empire and the spread of early Buddhism. The typical âmarkersâ of early Buddhism and Mauryan occupation are defined based on a historical study of South Asian archaeology, and the presence of these markers is tested at Lumbini, Nepal, using the 2011-2013 Durham University/UNESCO excavation data, and compared to published case studies representing a sample of site types across South Asia. The results indicate a pattern of cultural, religious, and structural continuity through the so-called âMauryan Horizonâ, and analysis
Tremblay, Jennifer Carrie
The Mauryan horizon : an archaeological analysis of early Buddhism and the Mauryan Empire at Lumbini, Nepal. The archaeology of Buddhism in South Asia is reliant on the art historical study of monumental remains, the identification of which is tied to the textual historical sources that dominate Buddhist scholarship. The development and spread of early Buddhism from the third century BCE has been intrinsically linked with the Mauryan Emperor Asoka, and is consequently reliant on the identification of âMauryanâ remains in the archaeological record. The aim of this thesis is to test the scholarly and physical evidence for the âMauryan horizonâ that has shaped archaeological methodology in South Asia, by demonstrating challenges in the interpretation of the relationship between the Mauryan Empire and the spread of early Buddhism. The typical âmarkersâ of early Buddhism and Mauryan occupation are defined based on a historical study of South Asian archaeology, and the presence of these markers is tested at Lumbini, Nepal, using the 2011-2013 Durham University/UNESCO excavation data, and compared to published case studies representing a sample of site types across South Asia. The results indicate a pattern of cultural, religious, and structural continuity through the so-called âMauryan Horizonâ, and analysis
horizon archaeological_analysis early buddhism empire nepal archaeology buddhism south_asia reliant art_historical study monumental remain identification tie textual historical_source dominate buddhist scholarship development spread early buddhism bce intrinsically link emperor consequently reliant identification remain archaeological_record aim_test scholarly physical_evidence horizon shape archaeological south_asia demonstrate challenge interpretation relationship empire spread early buddhism typical marker early buddhism occupation define base historical_study south_asian archaeology presence marker test nepal use durham_university excavation data_compare publish case_study represent sample_site type across south_asia indicate pattern cultural_religious structural continuity so_called horizon analysis