Kakrak Valley (Bamyan)

Not to be confused with Kakrak Valley, Ghazni Province.

Karkak Valley (Dari: درهٔ ککرک) is a valley in central Afghanistan, located in Bamyan province, 120 km west of Kabul province.

Kakrak Valley درهٔ ککرک
Valley
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Coordinates: 34.809877°N 67.852553°E / 34.809877; 67.852553
Country	Afghanistan
Province	Bamyan Province
Population
• Ethnicities	Hazara people
Time zone	+ 4.30

The famous Buddhist mural named "The Hunter King" (7-8th centuries CE) shows a typically local royal figure seated on a throne, his bow and arrows on the side. He wears a triple-crescent crown which has been compared to the triple-crescent crowns on the coinage found in northeastern Afghanistan in the area of Zabulistan, such as a coin found in Ghazni.^[1] Late 7th to early 8th century CE.^[2][3] Other authors have attributed the triple-crescent crown to Hephthalite influence.^[4] The painting may be an allegory of a King abandoning violence, particularly the hunting of animals, and converting to Buddhism.^[5]

Murals from Kakrak

• 
  The triple-crescent crown in the "Hunter King" mural from Kakrak (7th-8th century CE) has been compared to the triple-crown in some of the coinage of Afghanistan.^[1][3] Wall paintings from the 7th-8th century, Kabul Museum.^[4]
• 
  Seated Buddha, Kakrak
• 
  Coupole, Kakrak. Bamiyan. Musée national des arts asiatiques Guimet.

See also

• Bamyan Province
• Valleys of Afghanistan