Hewn from the living rock in the fifth century, the 115-ft. Bamiyan Buddhas stood in an Afghan cliff until their destruction by the Taliban in 2001. A source for the Buddhas of the Yungang Grottoes, this Wonder of the Medieval World (if there were such), UNESCO World Heritage Site, and exemplary specimen of monumental Gandharan sculpture is gone. Looking back on the decade in its final fortnight, this ranks among its worst moments, culturally speaking.