Discovery: Buddha’s Birth Earlier Than Thought | National Geographic

the maya devi temple is one of the most

the maya devi temple is one of the most sacred temples within the Buddhist world

sacred temples within the Buddhist world

sacred temples within the Buddhist world once you actually go through the

once you actually go through the

once you actually go through the doorways you get this walkway around the

doorways you get this walkway around the

doorways you get this walkway around the edge of the temple because right in

edge of the temple because right in

edge of the temple because right in front of you in the middle of the temple

front of you in the middle of the temple

front of you in the middle of the temple actually is an archaeological site very

actually is an archaeological site very

actually is an archaeological site very seldom does archaeology get the

seldom does archaeology get the

seldom does archaeology get the opportunity of interfacing with the very

opportunity of interfacing with the very

opportunity of interfacing with the very beginnings of one of the world’s great

beginnings of one of the world’s great

beginnings of one of the world’s great religions there are two major

religions there are two major

religions there are two major significant findings from these

significant findings from these

significant findings from these excavations the first is the world’s

excavations the first is the world’s

excavations the first is the world’s earliest Buddhist structure and it’s not

earliest Buddhist structure and it’s not

earliest Buddhist structure and it’s not built in brick it’s not built in stone

built in brick it’s not built in stone

built in brick it’s not built in stone it’s actually built in timber so it’s

it’s actually built in timber so it’s

it’s actually built in timber so it’s really exciting because it gives us for

really exciting because it gives us for

really exciting because it gives us for the first time an understanding of what

the first time an understanding of what

the first time an understanding of what did an early Buddhist structure look

did an early Buddhist structure look

did an early Buddhist structure look like the second really significant point

like the second really significant point

like the second really significant point is there is a debate as to when the

is there is a debate as to when the

is there is a debate as to when the Buddha actually lived when he was born

Buddha actually lived when he was born

Buddha actually lived when he was born and when he died – some have him born in

and when he died – some have him born in

and when he died – some have him born in the 6th century 7th century some have

the 6th century 7th century some have

the 6th century 7th century some have him born as as early as 300 BC from that

him born as as early as 300 BC from that

him born as as early as 300 BC from that very early timber structure we have

very early timber structure we have

very early timber structure we have burnt charcoal from within the postholes

burnt charcoal from within the postholes

burnt charcoal from within the postholes and the date for that earlier structure

and the date for that earlier structure

and the date for that earlier structure is the 6th century BC and those have

is the 6th century BC and those have

is the 6th century BC and those have actually for the first time given us a

actually for the first time given us a

actually for the first time given us a kalindra chol date with which we can now

kalindra chol date with which we can now

kalindra chol date with which we can now begin to understand the lifetime of the

begin to understand the lifetime of the

begin to understand the lifetime of the Buddha himself