Mind-blowing finds at Berenike: a 71 cm stone Buddha from the 2nd century AD, carved from marble yet following Kushan-period standing Buddha types under Kanishka — with Roman-style hair! A stele depicts Samana, Vasudeva, and Ekachamsrana from the Pancaratra movement, matching coins from Aikhanum. A 248 AD bilingual Sanskrit-Greek inscription names Roman Emperor Philip the Arab. A terracotta once labeled "Roman auxiliary" is now identified as an Indo-Greek warrior from Satavahana territory. Buddhist worship in the Temple of Isis lasted 150+ years! 🗿🙏
Berenike (Preveza) Buddha and Buddhist artifacts reveal 200-year community in Roman Egypt
GreeceGeneral
Site mentioned
Key facts
- Three stone Buddha statues found, including the 100 cm (3 ft) Berenike (Preveza) Buddha and a headless Buddha in matching style
- Both Buddhas derive from standing Buddha types common during Kushan period under King Kanishka
- The Buddhas were carved from marble sourced from Mediterranean quarries near Proconnesus or Paros
- The Berenike (Preveza) Buddha dates to the 2nd century AD, around the reigns of Trajan or Hadrian
- Art historians concluded the Buddha statues draw on Greco-Roman sculptural traditions, including Roman-style hair
- A stele depicts Samana, Vasudeva, and Ekachamsrana, figures associated with the Pancaratra movement
- Earliest known depictions of these figures appear on coins from the 180s under Agathocles, excavated at Aikhanum
- A bilingual Sanskrit-Greek inscription dated to 248 AD (reign of Philip the Arab) is the only known Sanskrit inscription to name a Roman emperor
- The inscription references a kshatriya named Bazula who erected an image (likely a Buddha)
- Two Indian coins from the Satavahana period indicate trade with that Indian kingdom
- A terracotta statue initially thought to depict a Roman auxiliary is now believed to be an Indo-Greek warrior from Satavahana territory
- A space dedicated to Buddha worship in the Temple of Isis existed for at least a century and a half
- Archaeological evidence indicates a Buddhist community in Roman Egypt for at least 200 years
Sources
Discovery of Buddha Statue at the Red Sea City of Berenikearchaeologicalpaths.com
The statue is 71cm tall and was found in the temple of the city. It depicts Buddha standing while holding part of his robe with his left hand.
The Berenike Buddha: Tracing Buddhism's First Steps Westtricycle.org
The Berenike Buddha, carved in Gandharan style, is the earliest Buddha statue found in Egypt and shows Buddhism's westward reach.
Archaeologists Unearth Buddha Statue in Ancient Egyptian Port Citysmithsonianmag.com
Researchers have discovered a two-foot-tall Buddha statue in Berenike, an ancient Egyptian port city. The artifact is the first Buddha ever found west of ...
Berenike Buddhaen.wikipedia.org
The statue, dated around the second century CE, is the earliest statue of the Buddha to ever be found west of Afghanistan. This statue attests to the extent of ...
Reign of Kanishka I / Reverse, standing Buddha / Kushanquod.lib.umich.edu
Reign of Kanishka I / Reverse, standing Buddha / Kushan; Creation date: ca. 143-168. Culture: Indian (South Asian) Kushan Creation date: ca. ...
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