Ajanta Caves

The Ajanta Caves are 29 Buddhist cave monuments carved out of rock in the Aurangabad District of Maharashtra state, India, that date from the second century BCE to roughly 480 CE. The paintings and rock-cut sculptures in the caves, which are widely recognized as Buddhist sacred art treasures, are among the best examples of ancient Indian art still in existence. Particularly notable are the expressive paintings, which convey emotions through gesture, position, and form. In 1983, UNESCO declared the caves to be a World Heritage site.