"The Colossal Idols at Bameean," 1834 (those dark incisions are the openings of monks' caves)

Source: http://ames.lib.umn.edu/pastexa20.phtml
(downloaded Oct. 2002)

"Burnes, Alexander, Sir, 1805-1841. Travels into Bokhara: being the account of a journey from India to Cabool, Tartary, and Persiam, also, narrative of a voyage on the Indus, from the sea to Lahore with presents from the King of Great Britain, performed under the orders of the Supreme Government of India, in the years 1831, 1832, and 1833. London: J. Murray, 1834."

The empy niche as it looks nowadays, since the destruction of the statues by the Taliban in 2001

Source: http://molly.honjyo.reccs.akita-pu.ac.jp/tgg/Media/bamiyan/bam.18.jpg
(downloaded Aug. 2005)

A closer look at some of the caves in the cliff face

Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gharibah/258003139/
(downloaded Oct. 2006)