GEORGE TOWN – The recent archaeological findings at Bukit Choras in Yan, Kedah, are significant because of the almost intact state of the artefacts discovered on site.
One discovery in particular is a life-sized Buddha statue in a meditative position, complete with its iconographic head, stark facial features, robe, and attire.
This nearly complete statue was found on the north wall of the temple.
Two other statues unearthed during earlier excavations at the south and west walls of the temple were headless.
Speaking at a press conference at the Universiti Sains Malaysia’s (USM) Centre for Global Archaeological Research (CGAR) this morning, Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry secretary-general Datuk Roslan Abdul Rahman said the artefacts dated between the seventh and ninth centuries also indicate that the site may be older than Angkor Wat in Cambodia and Borobudur in Indonesia.
The temple (candi) at Bukit Choras is also among the most well-preserved Buddhist temples in Lembah Bujang, constructed with laterite stone sourced from the foothills of Bukit Choras.
Roslan said the findings were significant to the country, and a boost for the archaeotourism industry in Kedah.
He said the findings were a testament to the position of Ancient Kedah as an important maritime civilisation in the region.
An exhibition is being planned for the display of the artefacts.
“However, no decision has been made as to whether the items will be displayed in a museum or if a gallery will be built at the Bukit Choras site – similar to sites in Cambodia and Indonesia,” Roslan said.
It is believed that the temple, which was closer to the coastline during its heyday, was a thriving religious site.
Its decline corresponds with the Kedah coastline moving further west, leading to the fall of Ancient Kedah as a maritime civilisation.
Other significant findings at the site include Sanskrit stone inscriptions, pottery, and metal objects.
The three Sanskrit verses inscribed on a rectangular stone bar are excerpts of a Buddhist text called the “Sāgaramati-paripṛcchā” (Questions of Sāgaramatī) – a text regarding a dialogue where the Great Brahmā (Mahābrāhmā) asks Bodhisatva Sāgaramati certain questions.
The three verses represent the deep Buddhist doctrines of emptiness, conditionality, and the qualities of Buddha.
The discovery of three Sanskrit stone inscriptions also indicates that the site may have been an important religious or pilgrimage site for the area.
When contacted, USM CGAR senior lecturer Nasha Rodziadi Khaw, who led the archaeological excavation at Bukit Choras in collaboration with the National Heritage Department, said: “The discovery of a well-preserved statue and structure helped us identify iconographic and architectural features, which can be compared to other sites in the region, hence establishing cultural connections with other places.”
Site studies were carried out by USM CGAR and the School of Physics between 2017 to 2020.
This included geophysical and geoarchaeology mapping, drone imaging, and 3D reconstruction of the main structure. – June 26, 2024