Archaeologists unearth Buddhist artefacts in Kilinochchi

4 June 2014 05:23 pm - 7 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Archaeologists have unearthed several Buddhist artefacts including slates, ancient bricks and Sri Pada symbols in excavations carried out in Kilinochchi, Sivanagar and Uriththirapuram, the army said.

Major General Sudantha Ranasinghe, Commander of SFHQ-KLN had requested a team of archaeologists to visit the site after an army troop came across the site a few days ago.

“Archaeologists have recovered stacks of ancient layers of bricks believed to be from a pagoda, slates with the Sri Pada symbol and stone posts with prints of the Sri Pada, confirming the existence of a Buddhist temple from the Polonnaruwa period in Kilinochchi,” the army said.

The archaeologists have declared the site a sacred site, pending further excavations, extensive research and comprehensive evaluation, alerting the security forces as well as government authorities of the new discovery.

According to the residents of the area a small Pulleyar Kovil had occupied the site from the 1940s and been replaced by the Shivam Kovil which was built in 1980s and is still standing.

Some alleged that the LTTE had destroyed a large Buddha statue which a Kurukkal (chief priest) had found in 1965 while clearing the jungles around a Kovil at the site.

The priest had come across the ruins of a pagoda, some Buddha statues, stone carvings and a Bo tree in the area.

It was said that a 4 to 6 foot tall Samadhi Buddha statue and a statue of a lion plus a moonstone had existed at the site. The LTTE had however felled the Bo tree and later replaced it with a Palmyrah tree.

Major General Sudantha Ranasinghe, Commander, SFHQ-KLN, Colonel N.P Akuranthilake, 662 Brigade Commander and several senior officers visited the location soon after its discovery by troops serving there.

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Comments - 7

darme Wednesday, 04 June 2014 09:30 PM

This temple must be much older than Polonaruwa era Buddha footprints were worshiped 1st - 4th century AD

darme Wednesday, 04 June 2014 09:33 PM

this must be much older than Polonaruwa era.Buddha foot prints were worshiped during 1-3rd century AD

M.O.A.Careem Wednesday, 04 June 2014 10:07 PM

good sign - unitary state - let international community atudy

dwickra Wednesday, 04 June 2014 11:55 PM

Can anyone tell what is the diffrence between Thalaiban & LTTE

This is the land they called belong only to the Tamil ethnics
ha ha

kevin Thursday, 05 June 2014 02:17 AM

In every corner of Wanni and North there are so many Buddhist archaeological sites literally destroyed by LTTE Terrorist and later build a Hindu Kovil over it just to hide the truth about the History and to place a bogus claim of a Tamil Homeland which was never existed in Sri Lanka. Government must give the highest priority in unearthing these ancient historical evidence to prove there was never a Tamil Homeland and every bit of Sri Lanka is belong to Sri Lankan Sinhalese long time before Vijaya Landed in Sri Lanka.

Jaffnamadman Thursday, 05 June 2014 10:25 AM

who buried there to digout again?

HambanGoiya Thursday, 05 June 2014 12:24 PM

Bring down experts from China to prove it.

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Archaeologists unearth Buddhist artefacts in Kilinochchi

Comments - 7

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