Archaeological Discoveries Confirm Early Date of Buddha's Life

Archaeological Discoveries Confirm Early Date of Buddhas Life National Geographic Society Press Room
HOME
RELEASES
CONTACTS
BIOS
SOCIAL
ABOUT
FAQS
Search
Search
MEDIA CONTACT
Archaeological Discoveries Confirm

Early Date of Buddhas Life
Evidence found at worlds earliest Buddhist shrine in Nepal
November 25, 2013
Barbara Moffet
National Geographic
bmoffet@ngs.org
202-857-7756
Kelsey Flora
National Geographic
kflora@ngs.org
202-828-8023
Recent Press Releases

National Geographic Magazine,
September 2015
August 12, 2015
Gift Giving, Social Status Drive Global
Ivory Demand, New National
Geographic/GlobeScan Study Finds
August 12, 2015
Founders of Beloved Life is Good
Brand Reveal Power of Optimism in
LIFE IS GOOD: The Book
August 7,
2015
National Geographic Live Announces
Fall 2015 Season Lineup
August 6,
2015
Ira Block/National Geographic
WASHINGTON (Nov. 25, 2013)Archaeologists working in Nepal have uncovered evidence

of a structure at the birthplace of the Buddha dating to the sixth century B.C. This is the first
Releases by Date
archaeological material linking the life of the Buddha and thus the first flowering of
August 2015
Buddhism to a specific century.
July 2015
Pioneering excavations within the sacred Maya Devi Temple at Lumbini, Nepal, a UNESCO
World Heritage site long identified as the birthplace of the Buddha, uncovered the remains of
a previously unknown sixth-century B.C. timber structure under a series of brick temples.
Laid out on the same design as those above it, the timber structure contains an open space
in the center that links to the nativity story of the Buddha himself.
http://press.nationalgeographic.com/2013/11/25/birth_of_buddha/[8/12/2015 12:35:11 PM]
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
March 2015
February 2015
January 2015
Until now, the earliest archaeological evidence of Buddhist structures at Lumbini dated no
December 2014
earlier than the third century B.C., the time of the patronage of the Emperor Asoka, who
November 2014
promoted the spread of Buddhism from present-day Afghanistan to Bangladesh.
October 2014
September 2014
Very little is known about the life of the Buddha, except through textual sources and oral
August 2014
tradition, said archaeologist Professor Robin Coningham of Durham University, U.K., who
July 2014
co-led the investigation. Some scholars, he said, have maintained that the Buddha was born
June 2014
in the third century B.C. We thought why not go back to archaeology to try to answer some
May 2014
of the questions about his birth? Now, for the first time, we have an archaeological
April 2014
sequence at Lumbini that shows a building there as early as the sixth century B.C.
March 2014
Early Buddhism revealed
February 2014
January 2014
The international team of archaeologists, led by Coningham and Kosh Prasad Acharya of the
December 2013
Pashupati Area Development Trust in Nepal, say the discovery contributes to a greater
November 2013
understanding of the early development of Buddhism as well as the spiritual importance of
October 2013
Lumbini. Their peer-reviewed findings are reported in the December 2013 issue of the
September 2013
international journal Antiquity. The research is partly supported by the National Geographic
August 2013
Society.
July 2013
June 2013
To determine the dates of the timber shrine and a previously unknown early brick structure
May 2013
above it, fragments of charcoal and grains of sand were tested using a combination of
April 2013
radiocarbon and optically stimulated luminescence techniques. Geoarchaeological research
March 2013
also confirmed the presence of ancient tree roots within the temples central void.
February 2013
UNESCO is very proud to be associated with this important discovery at one of the most
holy places for one of the worlds oldest religions, said UNESCO Director-General Irina
Bokova, who urged more archaeological research, intensified conservation work and
strengthened site management to ensure Lumbinis protection.
January 2013
December 2012
November 2012
October 2012
September 2012
These discoveries are very important to better understand the birthplace of the Buddha,
August 2012
said Ram Kumar Shrestha, Nepals minister of culture, tourism and civil aviation. The
July 2012
government of Nepal will spare no effort to preserve this significant site.
June 2012
May 2012
Buddhist tradition records that Queen Maya Devi, the mother of the Buddha, gave birth to him
while holding on to the branch of a tree within the Lumbini Garden, midway between the
kingdoms of her husband and parents. Coningham and his colleagues postulate that the
open space in the center of the most ancient, timber shrine may have accommodated a tree.
Brick temples built later above the timber shrine also were arranged around the central
space, which was unroofed.
Four main Buddhist sites
April 2012
March 2012
February 2012
January 2012
December 2011
November 2011
October 2011
September 2011
Lumbini is one of the key sites associated with the life of the Buddha; others are Bodh Gaya,
August 2011
where he became a Buddha or enlightened one; Sarnath, where he first preached; and
July 2011
Kusinagara, where he passed away. At his passing at the age of 80, the Buddha is recorded
June 2011
as having recommended that all Buddhists visit Lumbini. The shrine was still popular in the
May 2011
middle of the first millennium A.D. and was recorded by Chinese pilgrims as having a shrine
April 2011
beside a tree.
March 2011
The Maya Devi Temple at Lumbini remains a living shrine; the archaeologists worked
alongside meditating monks, nuns and pilgrims.
February 2011
January 2011
December 2010
In the scientific paper in Antiquity, the authors write: The sequence (of archaeological
November 2010
remains) at Lumbini is a microcosm for the development of Buddhism from a localized cult to
October 2010
a global religion.
September 2010
August 2010
Lost and overgrown in the jungles of Nepal in the medieval period, ancient Lumbini was
July 2010
rediscovered in 1896 and identified as the birthplace of the Buddha on account of the
June 2010
presence of a third-century B.C. sandstone pillar. The pillar, which still stands, bears an
May 2010
inscription documenting a visit by Emperor Asoka to the site of the Buddhas birth as well as
April 2010
the sites name Lumbini.
March 2010
Despite the rediscovery of the key Buddhist sites, their earliest levels were buried deep or
destroyed by later construction, leaving evidence of the very earliest stages of Buddhism
inaccessible to archaeological investigation, until now.
February 2010
January 2010
December 2009
November 2009
Half a billion people around the world are Buddhists, and many hundreds of thousands make
October 2009
a pilgrimage to Lumbini each year. The archaeological investigation there was funded by the
September 2009
government of Japan in partnership with the government of Nepal, under a UNESCO project
August 2009
aimed at strengthening the conservation and management of Lumbini. Along with the
July 2009
National Geographic Society, the research also was supported by Durham University and
June 2009
Stirling University.
May 2009
March 2009
Coningham and Acharya were joined on the Antiquity paper by coauthors K.M. Strickland,
February 2009
C.E. Davis, M.J. Manuel, I. A. Simpson, K. Gilliland, J. Tremblay, T.C. Kinnaird and D.C.W.
January 2009
Sanderson.
December 2008
November 2008
NOTES:
October 2008
A documentary on Coninghams exploration of the Buddhas life, Buried Secrets of the
September 2008
Buddha, will premiere in February internationally on National Geographic Channel.
August 2008
July 2008
For an embeddable National Geographic news video about the findings, click or link to this:
http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/news/history-archaeology-news/buddha-birth-vin/
June 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
TV and radio broadcast facilities available at Durham:
February 2008
January 2008
Professor Robin Coningham from Durham University is available for interview via down-the-
December 2007
line, broadcast-quality TV and radio facilities. To book a time, please contact the Durham
November 2007
University Media Relations Team on +44 (0)191 334 6075 or email
October 2007
media.relations@durham.ac.uk.
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
###
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
CONTACTS:
Barbara Moffet
February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
National Geographic
November 2006
October 2006
+1 (202) 857-7756
bmoffet@ngs.org
September 2006
August 2006
July 2006
Kelsey Flora
National Geographic
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
+1 (202) 828-8023
kflora@ngs.org
January 2006
December 2005
November 2005
October 2005
September 2005
Dionne Hamil

Archaeological Discoveries Confirm Early Date of Buddha's Life

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Archaeological Discoveries Confirm Early Date of Buddha's Life

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Archaeological Discoveries Confirm Early Date of Buddhas Life National Geographic Society Press Room

Archaeological Discoveries Confirm

Recent Press Releases

WASHINGTON (Nov. 25, 2013)Archaeologists working in Nepal have uncovered evidence

Buddhism to a specific century.

http://press.nationalgeographic.com/2013/11/25/birth_of_buddha/[8/12/2015 12:35:11 PM]

promoted the spread of Buddhism from present-day Afghanistan to Bangladesh.

Early Buddhism revealed

understanding of the early development of Buddhism as well as the spiritual importance of

radiocarbon and optically stimulated luminescence techniques. Geoarchaeological research

government of Nepal will spare no effort to preserve this significant site.

http://press.nationalgeographic.com/2013/11/25/birth_of_buddha/[8/12/2015 12:35:11 PM]

the sites name Lumbini.

Buddha, will premiere in February internationally on National Geographic Channel.

TV and radio broadcast facilities available at Durham:

University Media Relations Team on +44 (0)191 334 6075 or email

http://press.nationalgeographic.com/2013/11/25/birth_of_buddha/[8/12/2015 12:35:11 PM]

You might also like