1,000-Year-Old Temple Site Uncovered in India

MAHARASHTRA, INDIA—According to an India Today report, the foundations of a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva have been uncovered in western India, at a site known for temples built during the period of the Chalukya Dynasty, which ruled a large portion of central and southern India between the sixth and twelfth centuries A.D. Based upon inscriptions at the site, the temples are thought to have been built around A.D. 1070. This temple was discovered during conservation work on another structure. “Four trenches were dug to ascertain the structure and uncovered the base of a Lord Shiva temple, complete with a Shivling,” said Amol Gote of the Maharashtra State Archaeology Department. “Additionally, we found a substantial number of bricks, indicating that bricks were used in the temple construction here,” he concluded. To read about the medieval city of Hampi in southern India, go to “Letter from India: Living Heritage at Risk.”