Gandhara was an ancient region of Pakistan that controlled a series of key passes for Silk Road trade among India, China, and Mediterranean lands. This steady commerce provided the financial foundation for the sustained patronage of luxury goods as well as Buddhist monastic sites and devotional sculpture. Drawing on the collections of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, this book traces the complex and changing artistic tradition of Gandhara, from Northwest Pakistan and Eastern Afghanistan in the 2nd century BC until the 8th century.

This book also explores early urban material, international trade, and the emergence and development of Buddhist art in the region, specifically addressing the relic tradition, narrative art, and iconic representations of Buddhas and bodhisattvas. The latest period of production is characterized by the fabrication of monumental imagery as well as the clay and stucco production of Afghanistan.