Buddha Statue Head Uncovered in Northwest India

TARANGA, INDIA—The head of a Buddha statue believed to date to the fourth or fifth century A.D. has been discovered near Taranga in India’s northwestern state of Gujarat, according to a report from The Times of India. The find was made by archaeologists from the Archaeological Survey of India, who recently found some 50 votive stupas nearby, establishing Taranga as an important Buddhist center. The head, which was uncovered in a temple, has a round face with curly hair and long ears, arched eyebrows over half-closed eyes, and depressions at the corners of its lips. A head with similar features was found at Devni Mori, a site about 40 miles to the east. Experts believe Buddhist activity may have spread from there to the Taranga area. To read about another recent discovery in India, go to “Double Vision.”