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| These relics have lain buried under sand for thousands of years |
The tsunami on December 26, 2004, helped Indian archaeologists discover traces of an ancient port city on the beaches of Tamil Nadu.
According to archaeological assessments, the discovered relics belong to a prosperous port city located near the ancient 1,200-year-old stone temple of Mahabalipuram.
Among the three sites found, there is a lion statue made of granite, all of which have been buried under sand for thousands of years. They might have remained there forever if the tsunami had not turned everything upside down.
According to T. Sathiamoorthy, a researcher at the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), these relics could be part of a temple or some building. They were constructed around the 7th century CE and stand nearly 2 meters tall. All are intricately carved, matching the motifs found in the Mahabalipuram temple.
Recognized as a World Heritage site, the Mahabalipuram temple is one of the earliest examples of Dravidian architecture from the 7th century. This structure features many giant sculptures made of granite placed outdoors. According to legend, this temple belonged to a cluster of seven temples, but six others have been submerged beneath the sea. Previously, the port city here was built so beautifully that the gods became envious and sent a tsunami to drown everything in a single day.
In addition to the lion statue, the other two artifacts include a poorly carved elephant relief and a 24 cm tall bronze statue of Buddha. The Buddha statue has been returned to the local authorities and is likely to be displayed in a museum in India.
According to BBC
