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The colored Buddha statues of Bamiyan.

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giant Buddhas illuminated red, white and blue possible

reconstruction of the ancient world's cultural heritage?

the monumental Buddhas of Bamiyan earlier shone in bright colors. This has now proved Munich restorers. They analyzed to hundreds of fragments of the destroyed giant statues by the Taliban.

World Heritage blown

The world's consternation was great, as fanatical Taliban in March, ten years ago blew up two giant Buddha statues, since 6 Century, the Bamiyan Valley in Afghanistan today surveyed. Located on the Silk Road, were the 55 and 38 meters high art to the tenth century, the center of one of the world's largest Buddhist monasteries. Thousands of monks attended countless cult places in the niches and caves of a mile-long cliff.

Since the defeat of the Taliban seek European and Japanese experts, commissioned by UNESCO and coordinated by the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) to secure the remains of the statues and then to the public. And they take the fragments under the microscope - for research, the Buddha until they blow hard.

Scientists at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) were able to date the period of formation for the first time reliable and explore the technically brilliant design. The highlight: A procedure that they have developed jointly with a company could not only the porous rock steady, but perhaps also allow a reconstruction of the ancient world cultural heritage.

Several hundred fragments examined

scientists of the Department of Conservation, Art Technology and Conservation Science at the TUM investigated and a half years, several hundred fragments. Their findings not only contribute to the understanding of this world heritage site, but could also allow an assembly of the resulting parts:

"The Buddha had a colorful appearance," says Professor Erwin Emmerling. His team found that the statues, was under Islamic rule until the final region, have been painted over several times, probably because the colors were faded. The outer robes sangati, shining dark blue on the inside, pink and orange on the top later. In another phase of the larger Buddha was painted red, according to the researchers, the smaller white background, the inside of the robes were repaired with a lighter blue.

old traditions confirmed

The graphical reconstruction of the TUM scientists confirmed that old traditions: even in sources from the eleventh century by a red and a moon-white Buddha mentioned. The other parts of the figures may have had a white coat, but can not be proven beyond reasonable doubt.

The statues were, according to the researchers knocked out of the cliff, the outer skin with the flowing robes, but the craftsmen formed from clay that has been applied in two or three layers. The remains shows an amazing skill.

smooth, perfect surfaces

"These are smooth, perfect surfaces - a quality as they usually only fired materials such as porcelain have, "says Emmert. The TUM-restorers found in the clay straw and chaff, absorbing moisture, pet hair, stabilize the wall like fine glass fibers, as well as quartz and other additives that prevent the shrinkage of the plaster. Levels, the lower layer of plaster with ropes to small wooden stakes were committed.

example, who after the ancient craftsmen unusually thick layers of up to eight centimeters. "They have not only survived nearly 1,500 years, but in part even the blowing up," marvels Emmerling.

reveals age of the statues

date information on the time of origin of the statues were estimates that were based on a concept of Buddhist robes or similar clues. Per mass spectrometer was now at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich and the University of Kiel determined the age of the organic parts of the clay layer. The TUM scientists could enable the construction of the smaller Buddha in the years 544-595, that of the larger Buddha limit to 591 bis 644th

How can the pieces of this world heritage to be preserved for the future? The ICOMOS teams have stacked the debris now in temporary storage facilities in the Bamiyan Valley, larger parts were covered on the cliff. "That is however only a few years well, because it is very porous sandstone," says Emmert. The common preservation methods are but the question.

"Commonly used resins in the required dimensions would behave under the climatic conditions in the Bamiyan Valley to vary in relation to natural stone," said Emmert. The conservation scientists have been cooperating with the company Consolidas its still relatively new process for possible application to the Buddha fragments further: Instead of using synthetic resins, the stones could be consolidated with an organosilicon compound in the interior.

3D model of the cliff

work In addition, the TUM-Restoration of a 3D model of the cliff, showing all the fragments of their former place. Emmerling has thus a reconstruction of the smaller Buddha in principle possible - and the restorer calls for a combination of the remaining parts, not for a reconstruction of the ancient state.

respect of the larger Buddha Emmerling is skeptical because of the depth of about twelve meters. The smaller one was against it at about two meters deep rather relief. But also for its establishment, there are great practical addition to political Hurdles. That should be the preservation of the fragments in the Bamiyan Valley, a small factory built - or it would need about 1,400 bricks are taken to Germany, some of which two tons. This week is discussed at a conference in Paris about the fate of the Buddhas.

(Technical University of Munich, 02.28.2011 - DLO)