TAKHT-i- RUSTAM 3: monolithic house (Cave at)

سمنگان‎ (ولسوالی آیبک - AF)
36.245800,68.021700
Grottocenter / carte

Description

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A circular and vaulted, sacred and man-made rock chamber (in Sanskrit: guha) in the focus of the ancient Buddhist temple complex which is currently known as –>Takht-i- Rustam and cut from solid limestone. SITUATION: West of Aybak (Haibak, Aibek), a few hundred yards from –>Rudaba's Apartment, and on the shoulder of a ridge facing west (MOORCROFT & TREBECK (1842, 2: 403-404). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1: MOORCROFT & TREBECK (1842, 2: 405) recorded that the cell … was about seven feet [2.1 m] in diameter; the passage [which gave access] about eight feet long by nearly six feet high and four broad [1.2 m wide, 1.8 m high, and 2.4 m long] and observed an acoustic peculiarity: It gave a loud echo to the sounds uttered in the cell. CAVE DESCRIPTION 2, TALBOT (1886: 344-345): … a rectangular house, also cut out of the solid rock. A doorway and passage from the south side leads into a circular domed chamber 6 feet [1.8 m] in diameter and 6 ft. 6 ins. [2 m] high… This central platform and house is qute perfect, and made with great care and neatness. CAVE DESCRIPTION 3, COON (1957a: 237-238) visited the site but failed to note the chamber. CAVE DESCRIPTION 4: LEVI (1972 edited 1984, 2000: 98): The local story is that Rustam used to sit and drink in a kiosk built on top of a stupa which is the shape of an enormous igloo carved downwards into solid rock, standing in a deep quarry-like pit. The kiosk on top is a square folly once supporting a sacred canopy, probably of about the fourth century A.D..

Documents

Bibliography 06/01/2018
  • Coon, Carlton Stevens 1957a, 1957b; Foucher, Alfred 1924b; Imperial Gazetteer of India 1907-1909; Levi, Peter 1972 edited 1984, 2000, 2002; Talbot, M G 1886b; Mizuno, Seiichi 1963; Talbot, M G, Maitland, P J & Simpson, William 1886; Moorcroft, William & Trebeck, George 1842.

History

EXPLORATION HISTORY: 1824.09.06: William Moorcroft and friends visited, explored and took measurements (MOORCROFT & TREBECK 1842, 2: 402-407). 1885, November - December: M.G. TALBOT (1886b: 344-347, plate 9), writing on 2nd March 1886, explored, surveyed, mapped. 1954.04.05: COON (1957a: 238, 1957b) et al. visited but failed to note the rock chamber. 1970 summer: Peter LEVI (1972 edited 1984, 2000: 86, 2002) in company with Bruce Chatwin, visited and found the entrance walled. Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

Caves nearby

Distance (km)NameLength (m)Depth (m)
0.0TAKHT-i- RUSTAM 5, Haibak Vihara (Cave at)
0.0TAKHT-i- RUSTAM 1: tunnelcave 1 (Cave at)
0.0TAKHT-i- RUSTAM 4: rock chambers (Caves at)
0.0Takht-e Rostam (Cave at) [Rudaba's Apartment Cave]
0.0TAKHT-i- RUSTAM 1: tunnelcave 2 (Cave at)
2.0HAIBAK ROCK CHAMBER
5.5KAFTAR KHANA, Haibak
14.0KOKJAR (Cave at)
20.0Hazarsum, Haibak