Attributing The Site Provenance Of Gandhāran Sculptures: Part I-Sculptures From Khyber Pass In The Peshawar Museum

Abstract

This paper investigates the provenance of several Gandhāran sculptures from Khyber Pass, currently housed in the Peshawar Museum. These sculptures were acquired between 1917 and 1929, through the efforts of the Political Agents of Khyber Agency and the office of the Chief Commissioner of the former North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) during British rule. Additionally, some sculptures were purchased from a local collector of the Khyber Agency. Despite their artistic and iconographic significance, no substantial effort has been made to connect these sculptures with specific archaeological sites within the Khyber Agency. However, recent research incorporating textual evidence and archival sources presents an opportunity to reconstruct the historical context of this exceptional collection of Gandhāra art.