The earliest Buddhist shrine: excavating the birthplace of the Buddha, Lumbini (Nepal)

Archaeological excavations at Lumbini, Nepal, the birthplace of Lord Buddha and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, have uncovered rare direct evidence of early Buddhist shrines predating Emperor Ashoka's third-century BC reconstructions. The study, sponsored by UNESCO, revealed a sequence of durable brick structures replacing earlier non-durable timber ones, aligning with predictions made over 70 years ago by British prehistorian Stuart Piggott. This provides unprecedented insights into the structure and chronology of the earliest Buddhist shrines, offering a secure framework for understanding their development.

Coningham, R. A. E., Acharya, K. P., Strickland, K. M., Davis, C. E., Manuel, M. J., Simpson, I. A., Gilliland, K., Tremblay, J., Kinnaird, T. C., & Sanderson, D. C. W. (2013). The earliest Buddhist shrine: excavating the birthplace of the Buddha, Lumbini (Nepal). Antiquity, 87(338), 1104–1123. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0003598x00049899