KATHMANDU: Archaeological excavations in Panditpur, Ramgram Municipality-18, Nawalparasi, have uncovered the ruins of an ancient ‘wheel-shaped’ city.
The discovery is believed to date back to the time of the Koliya republic, an ancient state during the Buddha era.
Bhaskar Gyawali, the Chief of the Archaeology Section at the Department of Archaeology, said that significant artifacts were found during the excavation, shedding light on the various cities of the Koliya republic.
“The excavation, which took place recently over the course of a month, was aimed at confirming the findings from a geophysical survey conducted in Fiscal Year 2018-19. The results have confirmed that Panditpur was indeed one of the cities of the Koliya republic,” said Gyawali.
The excavation focused on verifying the wall structures discovered in earlier surveys.
A three-meter-deep pit was dug at one site to study the cultural history of the area, revealing evidence of human settlements from the Buddha and Maurya periods, as well as the Muslim era.
Additionally, remnants of what appeared to be a sentry post were found, along with various artifacts such as clay pot relics, animal statues, ornaments, and other items, further supporting the site’s historical significance.
Currently, the construction of any new structures is prohibited within a 1,000-meter radius along the east-west and north-south axes of Panditpur to protect the archaeological site.
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