Ajina-Tepe (“Devil’s hill”, “hill of evil spirits”) is a hill 12 km East of the city of Kurgan — tube in Tajikistan with the remains of a Buddhist monastery of VI-VIII centuries.
The Ajina Tepe monument was first examined by archaeologists in 1959. Development as an archaeological site has been underway since 1961. The activity of scientific research and description of Ajina Tepe belongs to the South Tajik archaeological expedition under the leadership of Boris Anatolyevich Litvinskiy. The building discovered during excavations was attributed as a Buddhist monastery. In terms of it consisted of two rectangular courtyards, surrounded by the premises of sanctuaries, cells, corridors, etc. in one of the courtyards was a religious building-a stupa. On Ajina Tepe found murals and clay statues, including a twelve-meter figure of Buddha. The figure lying on its right side in an outstretched position is a traditional statuesque pose known from the stone statues of Buddha in Nirvana. The architecture and decoration of Ajina Tepe organically merged Indian elements and local traditions of ancient Tokharistan.
Ajina Tepe has been awarded the status of a nominee for a world heritage Monument by the international organization UNESCO. Twelve-meter figure of Buddha is now stored in the National Museum of antiquities of Tajikistan in Dushanbe.
