Religious roots of Buddha's birthplace traced back 2,600 years

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Archaeologists Robin Coningham (left) and Kosh Prasad Acharya direct excavations within the Maya Devi Temple, uncovering a series of ancient temples contemporary with the Buddha. In the background of the picture, Buddhist monks can be seen meditating. A documentary on the project, "Buried Secrets of the Buddha," will premiere in February on National Geographic Channel. (Ira Block / National Geographic)

Alan Boyle, Science Editor, NBC News
5 hours ago

Archaeologists in Nepal say they have found traces of a temple structure linked to Buddha's nativity going back to the sixth century B.C.

The remnants of a timber structure — unearthed at the Maya Devi Temple in Lumbini, Nepal, which has traditionally been venerated as the spiritual leader's birthplace — represent the first archaeological material linking the birth of Buddha and the religion he founded to a specific century.

"Very little is known about the life of the Buddha, except through textual sources and oral tradition," Durham University archaeologist Robin Coningham said in a news release. "We thought, 'Why not go back to archaeology to try to answer some of the questions about his birth?' Now, for the first time, we have an archaeological sequence at Lumbini that shows a building there as early as the sixth century B.C."

The team of researchers, led by Coningham and Kosh Prasad Acharya of the Pashupati Area Development Trust in Nepal, published their findings Monday in the journal Antiquity. The story behind the find will be featured in a National Geographic documentary set to air in February.

http://www.nbcnews.com/science/religious-roots-buddhas-birthplace-traced-back-2-600-years-2D11648772