Sri Lanka unearths 17 gold-plated Buddha statues in ancient capital

Sri Lankan archaeologists have excavated 17 gold-plated Buddha statues from a UNESCO World Heritage site believed to have been a monastery more than 2,000 years ago. An official told AFP on Wednesday that the statues were found during excavations in the ancient capital of Anuradhapura.

Where were the gold-plated Buddha statues found?

The statues were unearthed on Tuesday during excavations of a rampart at the Abhayagiri temple complex in Anuradhapura, an ancient capital in Sri Lanka's north-central region. The site lies within the Sacred City of Anuradhapura, 210 kilometers north of Colombo, and has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1982.

How old are the statues?

The 17 bronze statues, plated in gold, share features with artefacts from the seventh and eighth centuries. Project manager Thusitha Herath, of the government's Central Cultural Fund, estimated their age at around 1,200 to 1,300 years. He said this was the most significant discovery in the protected archaeological area in more than three decades.

"We have found artefacts before, but this is the first time we have seen such a large number of statues," Herath told AFP from the excavation site. The statues were found buried at random within the site, and officials have sent them for further testing.

When will the statues go on public display?

Herath said he expects the artefacts to go on public display within about a month, once testing is complete. Sri Lanka's Central Cultural Fund has carried out excavations at the site following its UNESCO recognition, which also placed conservation responsibilities on the government.

Anuradhapura is known to have embraced a mix of Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhist doctrines, drawing scholars and pilgrims from China and India centuries ago.