The Systematic Erasure of Avestan History: From Sasanian Appropriation to Digital Revelation

World Heritage Site: Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the Bamiyan Valley

Publication Year: 2026

Publication Type: Article

Publication Identifier: WHE1E39ADF7C2

Summary

Digital archaeology and genetic evidence reveal the Āzrah people of Bamiyan have preserved 25–35% of core Avestan vocabulary for over three millennia, contradicting the imposed 'Mongol' identity. The study traces systematic erasure of Avestan heritage—from Sasanian rewriting of sacred texts to Taliban destruction of the Buddhas—and shows how digital tools now expose political distortions in history and identity.

Citation

Bilal, C. (2026). The Systematic Erasure of Avestan History: From Sasanian Appropriation to Digital Revelation. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/ZENODO.21754049

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