Buddha statue found in Kedah older than Angkor Wat

 

A Buddha statue discovered in the Bukit Choras Archaeological Heritage Site in Yan, Kedah, was found to be older than the Angkor Wat and Borobudur temples in Cambodia and Indonesia.

The statue, dating back to the eighth or ninth century, was said to show the significance of the area as an important religious site at that time.

Tourism, Arts, and Culture Ministry secretary-general Roslan Abdul Rahman said the discovery was made by a research team from the Global Archaeological Research Centre (PPAG) of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM).

The discovery is an archaeology-tourism asset and attraction for tourists to Kedah, he added.

“We will hold an exhibition soon after USM completes a thorough study on the relic, and we have not made a decision yet on whether such discoveries will be exhibited at a selected museum or if Bukit Choras will be developed as a new archaeo-tourism product like has been done in Cambodia and Indonesia.

“The discovery is older than the Angkor Wat and Borobudur. This is interesting for us,” he said during a press conference on the discovery at USM in Penang today.

He said the local research team, led by Nasha Rodziadi Khaw, involved a collaboration between the National Heritage Department (JWN) and USM, and this research had been ongoing from April 21 to May 21 this year.

Statue removed for conservation

Roslan also said phase three of the research revealed a structure, with its north and west walls evident, showing the unique architecture of the Bukit Choras temple.

He said an important discovery at the site was the human-sized Buddha statue made of stucco, which is a mixture of lime, water, and sand found at the temple’s north wall.

“Different from the sculptures found during phase one and phase two, this time, a complete statue was found with its head and iconographic features such as robes, facial expressions, and clothing clearly visible.

“In addition, a Sanskrit inscription was found carved on the statue, and fragments of earthen pottery were also discovered.

“As a safety measure and to do further research, the relic has been taken out of the Bukit Choras site and temporarily placed in the PPAG USM laboratory for comprehensive conservation work,” he said.

In total, up till phase three, three inscriptions were found at Bukit Choras, which contained Buddhist mantras.

Roslan added that the latest discoveries opened up space for a new interpretation of the Kedah Tua civilisation’s geostrategic position as an important place in Southeast Asia’s maritime trade route.

- Bernama