Buddha Statues Uncovered in Sri Lanka

COLOMBO, SRI LANKA—According to an AFP report, 17 gold-plated bronze Buddha statues have been unearthed at the site of the Abhayagiri temple in Anuradhapura, an ancient Sinhalese capital in north-central Sri Lanka. “We have found artifacts [at the temple site] before, but this is the first time we have seen such a large number of statues,” said Thusitha Herath of Sri Lanka’s Central Cultural Fund. The statues are estimated to be between 1,200 and 1,300 years old, he added. Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana Buddhism are known to have been practiced in this sacred area of the ancient city, which was a pilgrimage site that drew visitors from China and India. To read about a Buddha statue carved into a cliff in southeastern China, go to "The Buddha of the Lake."