Day 16
History, Art & CultureSkim2024-12-15
Unearthing of Colossal Buddha Heads at Ratnagiri
What Happened
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) unearthed the largest Buddha head found in Odisha during renewed excavations at the Ratnagiri site in December 2024. The find also included a 5th-century terracotta votive seal with a Dharani Mantra in late Brahmi script and a copper plate charter from the Somavamsi dynasty.
Why It Matters
These artifacts provide critical evidence of Ratnagiri's long-standing role as a premier center of Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism, linking the site's evolution from the 5th century through the Somavamsi period.
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