Amaravati

by Akira Shimada

Buddhism originated in north India and spread to other parts of the subcontinent in the third century BCE. The Andhra region, located along the south-east coast of India, welcomed Buddhism and a stupa, probably built to house a relic of the Buddha from the north, was constructed at 'Amaravati'. From 200 BCE, the stupa was enlarged and substantially embellished over several centuries, making it one of the most important Buddhist monuments in India. However, the stupa fell into decline from the 14th century and it was re-discovered and excavated only in the 19th century. In 1880 more than 120...