Ajanta caves
Ajanta caves
MapofAjantaCaves TheAjantaCavesaregenerallyagreedtohavebeenmadeintwodistinctphases,thefirstduringthe2ndcenturyBCEto1stcenturyCE,andasecondseveralcenturieslater.[22][23][24] Thecavesconsistof36identifiablefoundations,[9]someofthemdiscoveredaftertheoriginalnumberingofthecavesfrom1through29.Thelater-identifiedcaveshavebeensuffixedwiththelettersofthealphabet,suchas15A,identifiedbetweenoriginallynumberedcaves15and16.[25]Thecavenumberingisaconventionofconvenience,anddoesnotreflectthechronologicalorderoftheirconstruction.[26] Cavesofthefirst(Satavahana)period Edit Cave9,afirst-periodHinayana-stylechaityaworshiphallwithstupabutnoidols Theearliestgroupconsistsofcaves9,10,12,13and15A.ThemuralsinthesecavesdepictstoriesfromtheJatakas.[26]LatercavesreflecttheartisticinfluenceoftheGuptaperiod,[26]buttherearedifferingopinionsonwhichcenturyinwhichtheearlycaveswerebuilt.[27][28]AccordingtoWalterSpink,theyweremadeduringtheperiod100BCEto100CE,probablyunderthepatronageoftheHinduSatavahanadynasty(230BCEc.220CE)whoruledtheregion.[29][30]OtherdatingsprefertheperiodoftheMauryaEmpire(300BCEto100BCE).[31]Ofthese,caves9and10arestupacontainingworshiphallsofchaitya-grihaform,andcaves12,13,and15Aarevihāras(seethearchitecturesectionbelowfordescriptionsofthesetypes).[25]ThefirstSatavahanaperiodcaveslackedfigurativesculpture,emphasizingthestupainstead. AccordingtoSpink,oncetheSatavahanaperiodcavesweremade,thesitewasnotfurtherdevelopedforaconsiderableperioduntilthemid-5thcentury.[32]However,theearlycaveswereinuseduringthisdormantperiod,andBuddhistpilgrimsvisitedthesite,accordingtotherecordsleftbyChinesepilgrimFaxianaround400CE.[25]

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