Key locations identified with the lives of important religious founders have often been extensively remodelled in later periods, entraining the destruction of many of the earlier remains. Recent UNESCO-sponsored work at the major Buddhist centre of Lumbini in Nepal has sought to overcome these limitations, providing direct archaeological evidence of the nature of an early Buddhist shrine and a secure chronology. The excavations revealed a sequence of early structures preceding the major rebuilding by Asoka during the third century BC. The sequence of durable brick architecture supplanting non-durable timber was foreseen by British prehistorian Stuart Piggott when he was stationed in India over 70 years ago. Lumbini provides a rare and valuable insight into the structure and character of the earliest Buddhist shrines.
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Beyond the 'Mauryan Horizon' 1104 The Birthplace of the Buddha and UNESCO 1105 Excavating within the Maya Devi Temple, 2011 and 2012 1108 Discussion: The Earliest Buddhist Shrine? 1110 Conclusion 1119 Acknowledgements 1121 References 1122
