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Frontline Issue 3

From Peshawar to the World

From Peshawar to the World

Beginning in fall 2024, CAMLab’s Digital Gandhara project team has partnered with the Directorate of Archaeology and Museums of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan to undertake systematic digital documentation of Gandharan artifacts. The project’s first endeavor at the Peshawar Museum, under the guidance of leading scholars, involved comprehensive 3D scanning and high-resolution photography—efforts that illuminate the intricate details and historical grandeur of these ancient treasures.



Throughout the Gandharan region, abundant Buddhist sites and an extensive collection of art relics have been unearthed since the beginning of the 19th century. Yet, factors such as regional instability and shifting religious landscapes pose significant threats to preserving this invaluable heritage. Confronting these challenges, Digital Gandhara leverages cutting-edge digital technologies to record, safeguard, and share these cultural treasures with a worldwide audience, enabling global communities to discover and study Gandharan art anew.



To ensure the lasting impact of these efforts, the project is creating a comprehensive digital archive of local cultural sites, museum holdings, and relevant collections dispersed in institutions worldwide. Combining multidisciplinary approaches with international collaboration, CAMLab seeks to advance research on Gandharan art while inviting the global public to experience its rich cultural legacy.



Looking ahead, Digital Gandhara will expand its initiatives by launching virtual interactive platforms and publishing scholarly catalogues. Through these endeavors, researchers and enthusiasts from around the world will come together to explore Gandharan art’s enduring beauty and profound significance, upholding and promoting this radiant cultural heritage for generations to come.