Enquiring the Rocks: Statistical Investigation of Buddhist Stupa Carvings at Chilas Bridge, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan

Abstract

This paper investigates the Buddhist stupa carvings at Chilas Bridge site, District Diamer, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. We studied a total of 199 stupa carvings using statistical techniques to explore the depiction of Buddhist stupas and their constituent parts in this key region of northern Pakistan. Analysis of the stupa carvings suggests that the majority of the stupas were of small and medium size, primarily oriented in preferred directions and positions. Most of the stupa carvings at Chilas Bridge were depicted at a height/width ratio of 2:1, perhaps reflecting a real artistic and architectural convention following Hinayana Buddhism. The artists at Chilas Bridge appear to have used Gandharan stupa construction techniques as inspiration for developing their own style of stupa carving tradition, which lasted for around 700 years.