Begram Bagram Kushan City
Kapisa Begram · Begram Kushan Capital · Bagram Ancient City
Greco-Bactrian 2nd c BCE → Kushan 1st–3rd c CE → Sassanid sack 245 CE·Greco-Bactrian → Kushan (Kapisa capital) — Gandhara-Silk Road·🇦🇫 Afghanistan, Kapisa Province, Bagram District, Begram (Kapisa) at Panjshir–Ghorband confluence 50 km north of Kabul, Hindu Kush southern apron, Afghanistan
About
About Begram Bagram Kushan City
Begram Bagram Kushan City — ancient Kapisa (Kapisha), summer capital of Kushan Empire (1st–3rd c CE) at Panjshir–Ghorband confluence 50 km NE Kabul, excavated 1923–40 by J. Hackin and R. Ghirshman (DAFA). Begram revealed Greco-Buddhist city wall (New Royal City), Begram Treasure (glass from Alexandria, lacquered Chinese, ivory from India), and Kushan palace (9 ha). Begram Hoard (1937) 120+ Alexandrian glass, Gandharan ivories (Begram ivories 1st c), and Han lacquer prove Kushan Silk Road cosmopolis. Destroyed c.245 CE by Shapur I Sassanid.
Why it mattersKushan summer capital —Begram Treasure proves pan-Eurasian Kushan cosmopolis Rome to Han
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Shapur I sack vs gradual abandonment
Theories
- 01Kapisa as Hindu Kush Silk Road hinge model
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c.1st c CE Kushan Kapisa foundation; Greco-Bactrian earlier
- Period
- Greco-Bactrian 2nd c BCE → Kushan 1st–3rd c CE → Sassanid sack 245 CE
- Culture
- Greco-Bactrian → Kushan (Kapisa capital) — Gandhara-Silk Road
- Builders
- Kushan kings (Kanishka's summer residence)
- Purpose
- Hindu Kush Silk Road capital linking Rome–India–China via Panjshir passes
- Abandoned
- c.245 CE Shapur I Sassanid sack
- Rediscovered
- 1923 Foucher identifies Kapisa at Begram; 1937 Hackin treasure
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
c.1st c CE
Kushan Kanishka makes Kapisa summer capital
1937
Hackin finds Begram Treasure (Alexandrian–Indian–Han)
c.245 CE
Shapur I Sassanid sacks Kapisa
On the ground
Structures & features
34.9661° N · 69.2547° E · 1492 m · 2 mapped features
New Royal City Wall and Palace
palace600×400 m Kushan mudbrick palace-city with central treasury chamber of Begram Hoard
34.9665° N · 69.2550° EBegram Treasure Chamber
treasuryBrick treasury chamber 3×3 m where 120+ Alexandrian glasses and ivories found 1937
34.9658° N · 69.2545° E
Gallery