The Butkara Stupa is an important Buddhist stupa near Mingora, in the area of Swat, Pakistan. Butkara stupa may have been built by the Mauryan emperor Ashoka, but it is generally dated slightly later to the 2nd century BCE. Butkara stupa was enlarged on five occasions during the following centuries, every time by building over and encapsulating the previous structure.

Excavation:

Butkara stupa was excavated by an Italian mission , led by archaeologist Domenico Faccenna from 1956, to clarify the various steps of the construction and enlargements. The mission established that Butkara stupa was "monumentalized" by the addition of Hellenistic architectural decorations during the 2nd century BCE, suggesting a direct involvement of the Indo-Greeks, rulers of northwestern India during that period, in the development of Greco-Buddhist architecture. An Indo-Corinthian capital representing a Buddhist devotee within foliage has been found which had a reliquary and coins of Azes II buried at its base, securely dating the sculpture to earlier than 20 BCE. The nearby Hellenistic fortifications of Barikot are also thought to be contemporary. A large quantity of the artifacts is preserved in the National Museum of Oriental Art and the City Museum of Ancient Art in Turin's Turin City Museum of Ancient Art.

Coinage and datation:

The oldest core strata (GSt 1) revealed a coin of Chandragupta Maurya and is therefore dated to the Ashokan period. A coin of Menander I was found in the second oldest stratum (GSt 2). A coin of Azes II was found under a plinth of the third stratum (GSt 3), which is therefore dated to the end of the 1st century BCE or the beginning of the 1st century CE. The 4th stratum (GSt 4) contained late coins of Azes II and coins of the Kushan Kujula Kadphises.