Mes Aynak
Mes Aynak (Pashto/Persian: مس عينک, meaning "little source of copper"), also called Mis Ainak or Mis-e-Ainak, was a major Buddhist settlement 40 km (25 mi) southeast of Kabul, Afghanistan, located in a barren region of Logar Province. The site is also the location of Afghanistan's largest copper deposit.
Mes Aynak
مس عينک | |
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Remains of a Buddhist monastery at Mes Aynak | |
Mes Aynak Mes Aynak Mes Aynak Mes Aynak (Hindu-Kush) Mes Aynak Mes Aynak (Afghanistan) | |
| Coordinates: 34°24′N 69°22′E | |
| Country | Afghanistan |
| Province | Logar Province |
| District | Mohammad Agha District |
| Elevation | 2,120 m (6,958 ft) |
The site of Mes Aynak possesses a vast 40 ha (100 acres) complex of Buddhist monasteries, homes, over 400 Buddha statues, stupas and market areas. The site contains artifacts recovered from the Bronze Age, and some of the artifacts recovered have dated back over 3000 years. The wealth of Mes Aynak's residents has been well represented in the site's far-reaching size and well-guarded perimeter. Archaeologists are only beginning to find remnants of an older 5,000-year-old Bronze Age site beneath the Buddhist level, including an ancient copper smelter.
Afghanistan's eagerness to unearth the copper below the site is leading to the site's destruction rather than its preservation. Archaeologists have photographed the site and the relics have been excavated.